LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With the winter months — and weather — approaching, Kentucky State Police are sharing some safe driving reminders.
Police are reminding drivers to avoid unnecessary travel when snow and ice cover the roads. KSP also asks citizens to refrain from calling 911 for information about road and weather conditions, as it takes dispatchers away from helping callers with emergencies.
If you do go out, police say to slow down, leave more space between you and the vehicles around you, and wear your seat belt.
"The best defense in any challenging driving situation is always going to be wearing a seat belt. Make sure you always wear it and that your passengers wear it as well," Sgt. Billy Gregory, a spokesman for KSP, said in a news release.
Plan in advance — that includes keeping some items in your vehicle when you do travel, such as a cellphone and charger, blankets, a first-aid kit, jumper cables, a flashlight with batteries, a windshield scraper, a shovel if possible and cat litter to help give your tires traction if you get stuck.
If you get stranded, police say to bring anything you might need from your trunk into your vehicle, wrap yourself in blankets and extra clothes and don't leave the vehicle. They also urge staying awake, moving arms and legs to improve circulation and only running the car's engine and heat for ten minutes an hour.
When the engine is running, KSP says drivers should open one window slightly to let air in, and to make sure no snow is blocking the exhaust pipe to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Police also say stranded drivers should tie some sort of bright material to their vehicle's antenna as a signal for rescuers.
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