Tips for driving in the snow and ice

The following tips for driving in the snow and ice were provided by Brad Hilliard, a public affairs specialist for State Farm Insurance.

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• When snow or ice is present, give yourself plenty of time, check your wiper blades and wiper fluid before leaving.

• Slow down and avoid sudden changes in speed, direction and braking.

• Even if it’s just raining, remember that black ice may be present, creating a dangerous situation you cannot see.

• If you get stuck, resist the urge to floor it. Straighten the wheels and accelerate slowly.

• If stuck, use sand or kitty litter under the drive wheels to get traction.

• If you start to slide, release the brakes, gently turn with the slide, identify where you want the car to go and gradually turn the steering wheel in that direction.

Also, get the junk out of your trunk. A recent survey released by State Farm revealed that nearly two-thirds of drivers store some form of junk in their vehicles. This complicates matters when people find themselves stranded because all they have is junk in the trunk.

Good news is that 96 percent of drivers carry at least one emergency item, such as a spare tire, but only 5 percent carry all the essential emergency roadside supplies:

• Jumper cables

• Spare tire

• Hazard triangle/road flares

• Flashlight

• First aid kit

• Water

• Blanket

Hilliard also provided advice for stranded drivers.

• Pull off the highway (if possible), turn on your hazard lights and use a road flare or reflectors to signal attention.

• If you have a cell phone, call 911 and describe your location as precisely as possible.

• Remain in your vehicle so help can find you.

• Don’t waste your vehicle’s battery power. Balance electrical energy needs — lights, heat and radio — with supply.

• Keep emergency supplies like road flares, a flashlight, blanket, windshield scraper, jumper cables, spare tire and a first aid kit in your vehicle or trunk at all times.