The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the American Automobile Association (AAA), and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are reminding motorists to always be prepared and exercise caution when traveling during inclement weather as part of Winter Driving Awareness Week, which runs through Saturday, January 15.   Representatives from PennDOT, AAA, and PSP hosted a media event Wednesday at PennDOT’s Erie County maintenance office to detail the steps motorists can take to be prepared for wintry conditions.   “As the winter season continues, weather conditions can change with little to no warning,” said PennDOT District 1 Executive Brian McNulty, P.E. “Drivers can help keep themselves safe by slowing down or avoiding unnecessary travel during severe weather and having their vehicle and tires properly maintained.”   Before hitting the road, drivers are urged to have their vehicle inspected by a trained, trustworthy mechanic to check the cooling system, battery, hoses, drive belts, and tires to ensure they are in good condition and functioning properly. Tires can also be examined often for the correct level of air pressure and adequate tire-tread depth.   PSP Troop E Community Services Officer Trooper Cindy Schick said motorists should also be aware that all vehicles must be fully clear of ice and snow before winter travel. If snow or ice is dislodged or falls from a moving vehicle and strikes another vehicle or pedestrian causing death or serious bodily injury, the operator of that vehicle could receive a $200 to $1,000 fine.   Failing to clear the windshield alone is a $25 fine, but would exceed $100 with fees, Schick added.   To prepare for the risk of becoming stranded or encountering a crisis situation on the roadway, motorists are urged to carry an emergency kit in their vehicles. Supplies may include non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, cell phone charger, and a small snow shovel. Kits can be tailored to the specific needs of the individuals in the vehicle, with items such as baby supplies, extra medication, pet supplies, or even children's games.   “Preventative steps today can go a long way tomorrow,” says Theresa Podguski, Director of Legislative Affairs, AAA East Central. “Weather conditions that lead to black ice, heavy snow, and other rough driving conditions are particularly dangerous this time of year and require motorists to be proactive.”   PennDOT offers these additional safety tips for motorists who must travel during winter weather conditions:  

• Slow down gradually and drive at a speed that suits the conditions. 
• Turn on your headlights. 
• Stay in your lane. 
• Increase your following distance. 
• Stay alert, keep looking as far ahead as possible, and be patient. 
• Reduce in-car distractions since your full attention is required. 
• Use defroster and wipers. 
• During whiteouts, come to a complete stop only when you can safely get as far off the road as possible or when there is a safe area to do so. 
• Do not stop in the flow of traffic since this could create a chain-reaction collision. 
• Do not pass a vehicle moving slowly or speed up to get away from a vehicle that is following too closely. 
• Give ample room for plow truck drivers to treat the roadways and never pass between two trucks operating in a plow line.  
• Always buckle up and never drive impaired. 

  For more information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist and information on PennDOT’s winter operations, visit www.PennDOT.gov/winter. Other highway safety information is available at www.PennDOT.gov/safety.   Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, 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 1,000 traffic cameras.   511PA is also available through a free smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.   Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.PennDOT.gov/District1.   Follow local PennDOT news on Twitter and like the department on Facebook.   MEDIA CONTACT: Saxon Daugherty, 814-678-7095  

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