Police offer five main reasons why drivers crash in winter

During Friday's snow storm, OPP officers investigated 918 collisions on Provincial highways in the Golden Horseshoe.

More than half of the crashes involved single-car drivers losing control and spinning into the guide-rails or ditch, OPP reported. While many people stayed home, or took transit, there were still too many drivers and vehicles unprepared for winter conditions. Almost all of the collisions were completely preventable.

The well-publicized storm was not a surprise, they maintain.

The heavy winter weather is continuing this week, and promises to pose a significant challenge to motorists. To help prepare motorists, police have compiled the following list of the five main reasons drivers have crashed this winter: • Speeding too fast for conditions. This is the main reason, by far, that people crash. The speed limit is for "ideal" conditions, yet police still see drivers attempting to do 100 km/h in ice and snow, just before they crash. • Following too close. In winter conditions, stopping distances increase two to four times. Whether the road has dried salt/sand, is wet, icy, snow-covered, or a combination of all, police recommend that motorists leave a six-second delay between their vehicle and the one they are following. • Harsh braking, steering or throttling. Slippery roads demand smooth, gentle application of brakes, steering and the gas pedal to prevent loss of control. • Not knowing what to do if the car starts to slide. If your car does start to slide, look where you want to go, not at what you don't want to hit. Remember, if your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS), you can still steer with your brakes on. • Not being prepared. In the last storm, police responded to more than 100 stranded motorists. Make sure that you have warm winter clothes with you. Your vehicle should be fitted with a set of four winter tires, in good condition. Your car should be mechanically well maintained, and thoroughly cleared of snow before you set out. On long journeys, pull over at service centers to clean ice and snow from your wipers, lights, signals, and top up windshield fluid.