PennDOT is encouraging motorists to practice safe winter driving practices during their winter travels.

When driving on snow or ice, the traction of your tires on the road will be greatly reduced, seriously affecting your steering and braking ability. It is extremely dangerous near 32° (Fahrenheit), when precipitation turns to rain or sleet — a thin layer of water on top of ice is more slippery than ice alone. 

Watch for “black ice,” a condition occurring on clear roadways when a thin layer of ice forms due to dropping temperatures. When the road looks wet, but no spray is coming from the tires of other vehicles, “black ice” may be present. 

When roads get slick, you should: 

• On packed snow, decrease your speed by half. On ice, slow to a crawl. Leave about ten times more space than normal between you and the vehicle ahead. 
• Apply brakes gently, ease off if you start to skid and reapply when you regain control. 
• Do not use your cruise control when driving on slippery roads. Snow, ice, slush and rain can cause wheel-spin and loss of control. The only way to stop wheel spin and regain control is to reduce power. But an activated cruise control system will continue to apply power, keeping your wheels spinning.
• On icy or snow-packed roads, try to time your arrival at an intersection by letting your vehicle coast until the light turns green and vehicles ahead of you have begun to move. This way, you will not have to brake to stop and then accelerate to begin again. Also, when going uphill, stay far enough behind the vehicle ahead, so you will not need to slow down or stop. Before starting downhill, shift to a lower gear for better control. 

Snow flurries and storms can also limit your visibility. To increase your ability to see when driving in snowy conditions, do these six things:

1. Clear all the windows, hood, trunk and roof of your vehicle before starting to drive in the snow. If snow or ice from a moving vehicle strikes another vehicle or pedestrian causing death or serious bodily injury, the vehicle’s driver could be fined. 
2. Clear your headlights, taillights and signals of snow, ice and dirt. This helps other drivers see you and helps you see what is ahead. 
3. Let the engine warm up before you start driving. It gives the defroster a chance to warm the windshield and melt any ice you could not scrape off. 
4. Use your windshield wipers to keep your windshield as clear as possible. Make sure your windshield washer reservoir is full, and you are using fluid that will not freeze. 
5. Keep the defroster on to clear steamed windows. If you have a newer vehicle, your defroster may be part of your air conditioning system. Read your owner’s manual to learn how your vehicle’s defroster settings should be used. 
6. Turn on your low beams, even during the daytime. Motorists are required to turn on their headlights anytime their windshield wipers are in continuous or intermittent use due to weather conditions. Daytime running lights are not enough. Motorists who do not comply with the law may face a fine of $25, but with fees and other associated costs, the penalty would approach $100.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, as well as monitoring snow plow locations, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 950 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website. Follow local PennDOT information on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAPittsburgh.

Subscribe to PennDOT news in in Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson counties at www.penndot.gov/District10.

MEDIA CONTACT: Tina Gibbs at 724-357-2829 or chgibbs@pa.gov.