With 2012's first snowstorm approaching, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald emphasizes that upcoming winter weather will be dangerous, and motorists should modify their driving accordingly.
NYSDOT recommends:
- Drivers avoid unneccessary travel; check 511 or 511ny.org for the latest road condition reports.
- Have a cell phone handy, but don't text or call while driving.
- Inform a responsible person of your destination, intended route and estimated time of arrival.
- Never venture from your vehicle if snowbound.
- Equip your car with emergency supplies: sand, shovel, flares, booster cables, rope, ice scraper, portable radio, flashlight, flood, whistle, blankets and extra warm clothes.
McDonald asks drivers to remember: "By slowing down, giving snowplows extra work and allowing extra time to get to your destination, we can save lives on New York's highways this winter."
