Winter Weather Preparedness Week: Being Safe On The Roads

PEORIA (Heart of Illinois ABC) - Yesterday we wrote about how you can stay safe at home this winter. Today we’ll look at how you can stay safe on the roads.

The best safety tip for driving in winter weather is if you don’t have to be out, stay at home. Sometimes conditions are too bad to drive and it’s best to wait at home until conditions improve.

If you need to go out during winter weather, some of the most important things to remember are to drive slow, give yourself lots of space between you and the vehicle in front of you, and remember to always adjust to changing weather conditions.

A few other safety tips include:

- Do not use cruise control or brake too quickly.

- Keep your gas tank at least half full.

- Leave plenty of room behind snow plows.

- Tell someone else what your travel plan is.

It’s also a good idea to have an emergency supply kit in your car. Here is a list of items your kit could include.

Here is a list of things you can include in your car's emergency supply kit.(NOAA)

Snow Squall Warnings are a relatively new product that the National Weather Service will issue when heavy snow and reduced visibility occur. Here are a few safety tips regarding snow squalls.

Here is some information and safety tips regarding snow squalls.(NOAA)

Keep an eye on our First Alert Weather Blog throughout the rest of the week for more information on Winter Weather Preparedness Week.