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COLUMBUS — Ahead of the forecasted snowy and icy weather conditions over the next several days, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) is encouraging all Ohio drivers to pay attention to local weather alerts and avoid driving in inclement weather unless necessary. Thousands of crashes occur each year in Ohio due to dangerous winter weather conditions, resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.
Last winter Ohio had 8,104 crashes on snow, ice, or slush covered roads, which resulted in 15 fatalities. Twenty-one percent of those crashes were caused by unsafe speed, 20% were caused by driving off the road, and 13% were caused by following too close.
If you must drive when snow and ice are on the roads, drivers should follow these tips to help avoid a crash:
- Slow down and increase the distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead of you.
- Accelerate and stop gradually.
- Do not use cruise control and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
- If you find yourself sliding, steer in the direction of the skid and let your foot off the gas. Do not apply the brakes.
In addition to these winter weather driving tips, Ohio drivers should always avoid other risky driving behaviors year-round:
- Never text or drive distracted
- Obey posted speed limits.
- Always drive sober and wear your seat belt.
