Visibility can be severely reduced when driving in falling snow, especially in a blizzards (see below). Be sure to drive slowly, leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you, and drive with your lights on. In particularly bad conditions, you may not be able to see the car in front of you until you are within ten to twenty feet of it. Make sure you are driving slowly enough to be able to stop in time should this occur. Finally, if conditions are too severe to allow for safe driving, pull off the road and park in a safe place (convenience store parking lot, etc.) until the storm has passed.
When a large amount of snow falls on narrow or crowded streets, a unique hazard is created where large snow piles form along the side of the road. Always drive slowly and assume that these piles are hiding cars or pedestrians from view. Moreover, these roadside snow piles may cause lanes to dissappear suddenly, further increasing the need for caution when driving alongside them. |
