SPOKANE, Wash. — As the weather gets colder, this brings slicker roads and tougher driving conditions for teen drivers. Spokane police are offering advice on how to navigate these roads safely.
Corporal Nick Briggs with the Spokane Police Department says experience behind the wheel is irreplaceable, which is why now might be a good time to go to an empty parking lot and get some practice dealing with the conditions.
Briggs says all of the mistakes teen drivers make on sunny days are magnified in inclement weather.
Distractions are more dangerous when roads are icy or slick because it takes more time to stop if you need to slam on your breaks.
If you are out on the road, make sure you give yourself extra time to get places. If you are in a hurry you might find yourself switching lanes a lot, which is more dangerous on slippery roads.
Also, it is dangerous to tailgate on wet roads so make sure you give them and yourself space.
Briggs says that if you do get pulled over, there is a right way to do so. “In a calm manner, pull to the right, find a safe place out of the flow of traffic to stop and then we’ll come up and conduct our business,” said Briggs.
On Jan. 17, Washington State Patrol responded to 104 crashes in the Spokane Metro Area following the biggest winter storm of the season.
Even though we don’t have freezing temperatures or snow in the forecast, it is still important to drive safely during the winter months. There is always a chance you may skid on ice even if there is no snow on the ground.
