These tips are for both home and on the road.
First, if you are at a house, make sure the driveway, sidewalk, vents around the house, and any fire hydrants by you are cleared of snow. Doing these tips will reduce the chances of getting injured through slipping and falling, as well as reduce the risk of a carbon monoxide event. Clearing fire hydrants will allow your local fire department faster access to it if a fire is near you.
Second, if you are driving, check 511WI for updated road conditions. Let people know where you are going, the route you plan to take, and the time you expect to arrive at your destination. Additional road safety tips include, giving snowplows plenty of distance, refilling your gas tank more often so you are not running out if you have a delay on your drive, and slowing down on the roadways. Eau Claire County Highway Department, along with local public works agencies, work hard around-the clock to clear roads, but need your assistance to ensure that is done in a safe manner!
The traveling public is reminded to exercise caution and drive with care. Clearing a small patch to see through a windshield or rear window is not enough. In winter weather, the driving hazard that’s even worse than snow and ice is your inability to see what’s ahead. To help with visibility remember to clear snow and ice from the headlights and hood of your vehicle. Be careful and go slow. Use courtesy and common sense. The legal speed limit may not be possible depending on conditions. It’s also very important Not to Crowd the Plow. Pass plows with extreme caution and never drive into a snowplow’s cloud. Remember, in bad weather, if you’re out there, so is your County Highway Department.
