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Tips for Driving in Icy Conditions Weather forecasters are expecting a winter with above-average temperatures and average precipitation – but they still caution North Texans to prepare for occasional icy conditions during the next several months.
When snow, freezing rain or sleet strikes, the most severe impact to North Texas often occurs on highways and bridges. The best advice is to stay at home if at all possible.
Sometimes, however, you have no choice but to head out on the road. The NTTA offers these helpful hints to help keep you safe behind the wheel when it’s icy:
- Before you leave, check NTTA road conditions online by visiting www.ntta.org/AboutUs/Traffic.
- Decrease your speed and leave extra room to stop. Experts say that drivers should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and another car.
- Brake gently to avoid skidding; if your wheels start to lock, step off the brake.
- Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
- Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
- Keep your headlights on and your windshield clean.
- If you get stuck in an icy patch, do not spin your wheels. Travel with a little sand, kitty litter or gravel so that you can pour it in the path of your wheels to get traction. Lightly tap your gas pedal to ease your car out of the ice.
If you have car trouble or get stuck on a NTTA toll road, call Roadway Customer Service—a free, non-emergency service to NTTA motorists. Just call the NTTA’s Command Center at (214) 224-2203 (the number is on the back of your TollTag) to request assistance.
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