BLUEFIELD, W. Va. -You’ve likely heard all the advice for staying safe while driving on ice or snow. However, one safety aspect you may be forgetting takes place before you leave your driveway.
Patrolman Roger Hamm with the Bluefield Police Department says they’ve worked more than twenty crashes over the past two winter storms. However, he says one reason he sees a lot for these wrecks is snow or ice covering windows or mirrors.
This is not just dangerous, but could result in legal action, if it’s determined that your view was obstructed during a wreck.
“If you’re involved in a crash, and you are held liable for that, it can boost your insurance prices. If it’s deemed that you’re operating in a reckless manner, you can have your license revoked, and if you’re issued citations and you don’t pay those, or you don’t handle those appropriately, you can end up with a suspended license or actually a warrant,” says Patrolman Hamm.
Patrolman Hamm says the solution is simple: take some time to clean off your car before you hit the roads. He recommends buying an ice scraper or using a broom to remove the ice and snow, then use some heat to get the rest.
“Wake up early and defrost your car. Hopefully if you can stay in and don’t have to leave, then do that, but if not, get out early, defrost your car and make sure all that ice is all knocked off,” says says Patrolman Hamm.
While not a law, Patrolman Hamm also encourages people to clear the snow from the top of the car as well to make the road safer for those behind you.
Once you do get on the road, Patrolman Hamm advises drivers to avoid hitting the brakes when on a patch of ice. Instead, keep on the gas or correct your steering to avoid a crash.
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