NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — With extremely cold temperatures and snow in the forecast for Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky, AAA issued a warning about potentially difficult travel conditions over the next few days.
“We’re urging motorists to follow the advice of local authorities and stay home if weather conditions begin to deteriorate,” said Megan Cooper, spokesperson for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “If you must get on the road, be sure to have at least a half tank of gas, significantly reduce your speed and stay off closed roads.”
Extreme cold and snow in the forecast for Middle TN, Southern KY
For those who cannot avoid driving amid the winter weather, AAA offered the following safety tips:
How to prepare for winter travel
- Remove all ice and snow from your vehicle, including the hood, roof, trunk, and all lights.
- Check your battery strength. Faulty batteries cause more car starting problems than any other factor. At 0 degrees, a good battery has 35% less starting power. In addition, batteries that are three to five years old will have much less starting power in cold conditions.
- Take a look at your tires. Under-inflated tires can be dangerous and may get damaged. For every 10 degree temperature drop, tire air pressure decreases 1 to 2 psi.
- Check the wiper blades. They should completely clear the glass with each swipe. If a blade leaves streaks or misses spots, replace it.
- Fill the windshield washer fluid reservoir with a winter cleaning solution that has antifreeze components to keep it from freezing.
- Check the weather forecast before setting out and change plans accordingly.
- Pack a well-stocked emergency kit with a phone charger for the vehicle; a first-aid kit; extra blankets, hats, gloves, and coats; plenty of drinking water and non-perishable snacks for passengers, including pets; flashlight and extra batteries; reflective warning triangles; and an ice scraper or snow brush.
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How to stay safe on the road
- Always drive at a speed matching the prevailing visibility, traffic, and road conditions, even if that means driving below the posted speed limit.
- Compensate for the reduced traction by increasing your following distance from the normal range of three to four seconds to a range of eight to 10 seconds.
- Stay at least 200 feet back from maintenance vehicles and, if you need to pass, go to the other vehicle’s left.
- Watch for icy surfaces on bridges and intersections, even if the rest of the road appears to be in good condition.
- Avoid braking on ice. If you’re approaching a patch of ice, brake during your approach because applying pressure to your brakes while on ice will throw your vehicle into a skid.
- If you get stuck in snow or ice, straighten the wheel and accelerate slowly. You can also add sand or kitty litter under the wheels to help avoid spinning the tires.
- If your tires lose traction, keep looking and steering in the direction you want to go. If the drive wheels start to spin or slide while going up a hill, just ease off the accelerator slightly then gently resume speed.
- Avoid driving on shoulders or medians so first responders, tow truck operators, and emergency vehicles can get to stranded motorists in dangerous roadside conditions.
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What to do if you end up stranded on the road
- Stay in your vehicle. Not only can it provide shelter and allow emergency responders to locate you more easily, but it can prevent you from being hit by an approaching vehicle. If you must get out of the car, ensure the surroundings are safe.
- Don’t leave the car running so you can make the gas last longer. If there is an extended traffic jam, turn the engine off for a period then turn it back it on to reheat the vehicle when it gets too cold. Also, make sure the exhaust pipe is snow-free.
- Avoid driving on the shoulders or medians of highways to get around a traffic jam. As previously mentioned, those areas need to stay clear for first responders, tow trucks, and emergency vehicles to get to the cause of the stoppage.
- Since cold weather can shorten the range of electric vehicles, those drivers should plan for more frequent stops for charging and locate charging stations hitting the road. AAA recommends “pre-heating” the inside of the EV to a comfortable temperature while still connected to the charger, which will reduce the EV’s battery demand to regulate cabin temperature at the onset of driving.
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