Otter Tail Country Tourism
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Safe Traveling in Otter Tail Country
The weather so far this Winter (well, technically, today is the first day of Winter - no matter what we think!) has been less than ideal. We've had a ton of snow, with freezing rain mixed in just to keep it interesting.
This is great news for those of us who enjoy ice fishing, but we still have to travel to the lakes that we fish on, commute to work, and run errands. When road conditions aren't perfect, we sometimes need to evaluate our situation and adjust our driving style.
Minnesotans know that Winter driving is a part of living in our beautiful state, but sometimes slippery roads sneak up on us when we're least expecting it. It's easy to slide into other cars or ditches, but it's also easy to prevent accidents on slippery Minnesota roadways.
First and foremost, you can't go as fast on a slippery road as you can on a dry, ice free one. I don't feel write going so slow on the interstate, but I'd rather have a bunch of cars pass me than end up in the ditch. Take it slow!
Second is watch your distance. You shouldn't follow too close behind the car in front of you when the weather is good - you really need to be careful when it's slippery outside. You never know when the person in front of you will slip or have to come to a stop and you need to be ready to stop fast enough to not slide into them.
Third, common sense. If the roads are horrible, just do your best to stay off them and only travel in an emergency. Keep essentials stocked up at home, and be ready in case you need to stay inside for a day or two without leaving home.
Let's all make this Winter a safer place by being smart on Minnesotas roads, whether we're on the way to the lake or anywhere else.
-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team
This is great news for those of us who enjoy ice fishing, but we still have to travel to the lakes that we fish on, commute to work, and run errands. When road conditions aren't perfect, we sometimes need to evaluate our situation and adjust our driving style.
Minnesotans know that Winter driving is a part of living in our beautiful state, but sometimes slippery roads sneak up on us when we're least expecting it. It's easy to slide into other cars or ditches, but it's also easy to prevent accidents on slippery Minnesota roadways.
First and foremost, you can't go as fast on a slippery road as you can on a dry, ice free one. I don't feel write going so slow on the interstate, but I'd rather have a bunch of cars pass me than end up in the ditch. Take it slow!
Second is watch your distance. You shouldn't follow too close behind the car in front of you when the weather is good - you really need to be careful when it's slippery outside. You never know when the person in front of you will slip or have to come to a stop and you need to be ready to stop fast enough to not slide into them.
Third, common sense. If the roads are horrible, just do your best to stay off them and only travel in an emergency. Keep essentials stocked up at home, and be ready in case you need to stay inside for a day or two without leaving home.
Let's all make this Winter a safer place by being smart on Minnesotas roads, whether we're on the way to the lake or anywhere else.
-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team
Labels: caution, driving, ice fishing, roads, safety, winter
posted by Al
at
8:31 PM
