Remember, unless your vehicle has ABS, if you
brake so hard that the wheels stop rolling, you will
just slide. Brake so the wheels always keep
rolling and you can still steer.
• Whatever your vehicle’s braking system, allow
greater following distance on any slippery road.
• Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
fine until you hit a spot that is covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice patches can
appear in shaded areas where the sun cannot
reach, such as around clumps of trees, behind
buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the
surface of a curve or an overpass can remain
icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If you
see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before
you are on it. Try not to brake while you are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be
in a serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are
near help and you can hike through the snow. Here
are some things to do to summon help and keep
yourself and your passengers safe:
• Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
• Tie a red cloth to your mirror arm to alert police
that you have been stopped by the snow.
• Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket
around you. If you do not have blankets
or extra clothing, make body insulators
from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats — anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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