“Drive slow in ice and snow.” It’s a catchy phrase we’ve become used to hearing. But warmer than normal weather may have put the pesky reality of wintry conditions out of our minds up until recently.

According to the state of Michigan website, there were 202,232 crashes attributed to snowy and slushy roads reported between 2016 to 2020.

Of the crashes in that four-year span, 370 were fatal and 2,530 meant suspected serious injuries for those involved.

And while it’s pretty easy to blame the weather, there are several things drivers can do to avoid getting into a traffic crash.

Chief among them, according to the MSP, is to slow down, that’s because most winter crashes are caused by drivers going too fast for road conditions.

Most people don’t realize that it can take up to ten times longer to stop. So slowing down and allowing more room between you and the vehicle in front of you gives you more reaction and braking time.

And speaking of reaction and braking time, it’s not a bad idea to turn your turn signal on a little sooner than you would in the summer months. That gives drivers behind and around your vehicle more time to react.

The MSP says it’s always important to avoid distractions like mobile devices, eating, or fiddling with your vehicle’s onboard entertainment system. In other words always make driving your number one priority, especially when the roads could be unpredictable.

And, speaking of predicting outcomes, driving a vehicle with four-wheel drive does not necessary make you safer.

While it is true that front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles are less likely to slip than a rear-wheel drive vehicle while accelerating, they are “just as difficult to stop and turn wintry roads as RWD vehicles.”

Speed is an important factor, but some tips can be implemented before you get behind the wheel.

That includes making sure your car is well maintained. Some vehicle systems might not seem important until you need them, including windshield wipers, heater, defroster, lights and brakes.

Finally, cleaning the snow and ice off of your vehicle and using headlights or fog-lights during inclement weather could make all the difference

We all want to get from point “A” to point “B” safely, even if it means getting there later than we planned.

For more winter driving safety tips head to michigan.gov/msp.

— The Mining Journal, Marquette