It’s happened… snowfall in Rochester. Sadly, yet another summer has passed and after about 20 minutes of fall weather, it’s winter once again. According to Rochester First, during the mid-November snowfall on the morning of the 16th, Rochester, Western New York, and Finger Lakes residents all woke up to plenty of heavy snow on their cars, homes, and roads.

The Greater Rochester International Airport measured 7.1″ of snow, 1.5″ more than the previous November 16th record, which was set back in 1997. It looks like Rochester will have to deal with plenty of snow from now until likely April, which means Rochester drivers need to start being extra careful.

Every year, there are roughly 6 million auto accidents across the United States. In Rochester and surrounding areas, winter weather is one of the main reasons why drivers lose control of their vehicles and crash. Hopefully, knowing what winter driving mistakes are commonly made and avoiding them as best you can will help you and your family get through this Rochester winter safely. Here are some of the most common winter driving mistakes:

  • Following too closely — Many inexperienced drivers often follow too close to the vehicle in front of them. Doing this significantly lessens your reaction time if there is any problem with the vehicle ahead of you and you need to stop or slow down right away.
  • Thinking four-wheel drive makes you invincible — We’ve all seen the guy in the big, powerful truck, equipped with four-wheel drive, speeding by on the snowy highway. Usually, those vehicles end up spinning out of control. Just because you have four-wheel drive doesn’t mean that you should be cruising down snowy roads at high speeds because four-wheel drive won’t provide the necessary traction for safely braking.
  • Slamming on the brakes — During perfect driving conditions, slamming on your brakes can actually get you to of trouble and avoid a collision. When the roads are icy or snowy, however, this removes traction from your tires and takes away your ability to control your car. It’s best to pump the brakes or brake with steady, even pressure if your vehicle comes with an anti-lock brake.
  • Not having an emergency kit in your vehicle — No matter what kind of vehicle you have, you need to make sure you have a winter emergency kit just in case you do lose control of your vehicle and are stranded. Make sure you have ice craters, snow brush, shovel, blanket, emergency flares, first aid kit, sand or rock salt, flashlight, rope, jumper cables, cell phone carrier, water, and non-perishable snacks.

Additionally, it’s important to equip your vehicle with the necessary off-road tires for improved traction during winter driving. There are four main types of off-road tires: all-terrain, mud-terrain, snow/winter, and sand. Stay safe out there, Rochester drivers!