Did today’s early morning snow catch you off guard?
If it did, then you probably need to take Brookfield Road Superintendent Jaime Fredenburg’s advice.
“Prep yourselves for winter driving,” he said at the Nov. 5 trustees meeting.
Fredenburg offered these tips for successfully navigating when there is snow, ice and slush on the roads:
Leave a little early, maybe 15-20 minutes, when you have to get somewhere by a certain time. “You’re going to run into bad weather – slow down,” Fredenburg said.
Change your route. “If you live up on the West Hill, there’s a way to get off the West Hill without going down Lincoln Street,” he said. “That’s one of our worst streets. It takes you a little longer to get where you’re going, but, in the long run, it might save you a lot of time because, if you end up in a ditch, you’re going to be a lot longer getting to work.”
Have a full tank of gas.
Have windshield washer fluid that works in below-zero temperatures.
Keep kitty litter in your vehicle. “If you get stuck, then you can throw some under the wheel,” Fredenburg said.
Finally, Fredenburg told drivers to give themselves a chance to get used to winter driving, and remember that other motorists also have to get acclimated, including those behind the wheel of snow plows trucks.
“It’s always the first two to three snows, that’s when we have the most wrecks, until we get used to it,” Fredenburg said.