Avoid driving or operating vehicles in snowy, icy, high wind, and exceptionally cold weather where visibility is affected, road conditions are dangerous, and extreme cold can cause car problems.
If it is necessary to drive, make sure that your tires are in good shape, and that your horn, brakes, lights, and all the essential safety equipment is working. Keep your car garaged, if possible. If not, and you have an engine block heater, use it in severely cold weather.
[Note that cold weather can be hard on batteries, so check them; use higher octane gasoline or gasoline additives to prevent gas line freeze ups].
Make sure you have maximum visibility. Remove ice and snow from critical areas, including from all windows, side mirrors, head and tail lights, and windshield wipers etc. If visibility is too bad in fog or snow storms, don’t drive!
Inspect your windshield wipers to ensure they work and that the washer antifreeze reservoir is full.
Drive slowly (or slower than normal); allow for greater stopping distances in case you skid, and give the cars ahead plenty of space (don’t tailgate); put your headlights on even in the daytime.
Pay constant attention to road conditions – to icy patches, dark patches that could be “black ice” etc.
Always keep emergency supplies/equipment in your car such as a blanket, road flares, snow shovel and window scraper, bag of sand or cat litter for getting unstuck, jumper cables, flashlight(s), and 1st aid kit – you may have other things that you find helpful, so use them.
Drive defensively and watch out for the other guy! Avoid being in a hurry. Give the snow plows and salt or sand spreaders plenty of room – don’t drive too close behind them, and this applies on campus as well as off!
Walking safely in bad weather conditions!
When walking on wet, slippery sidewalks, parking lots or surfaces (particularly at night) walk slowly, take short flat steps and keep your feet in contact with the ground as much as possible.
Walk on level surfaces whenever possible, and avoid walking on wet or frozen grass and uneven surfaces where it is difficult to get solid footings.
Wear sensible weather resistant shoes, boots, or footwear that provides good traction, such as shoes with good rubber or slip resistant soles, or snow and climbing boots with deep treads, or cleats for ice.
Avoid taking shortcuts in areas unfamiliar to you or across snow piles, frozen ponds or rough country where balance and/or footing is precarious and unsafe.
Avoid carrying packages etc. over slippery surfaces and use handrails, when available, for support.
Avoid causing indoor slipping hazards by keeping wet outer garments and umbrellas from dripping and by wiping footwear carefully on the mats provided.
Keep away from snow plowing, sanding, and salting equipment or machinery cleaning sidewalks etc.
