The National Weather Service has issued an ice storm warning for Buchanan County and St. Joseph. The storm is expected to bring a significant amount of ice to the area, which can cause car accidents and make traveling a nightmare. If you have to venture out during the storm, knowing how to drive in icy conditions can minimize your odds of being in a car crash.
Ice Storm Issued for St. Joseph
With winter storm Jupiter rolling into the Midwest, the National Weather Service has issued an ice storm warning for Kansas and western Missouri, including the city of St. Joseph. This ice storm warning takes effect at 6pm on Saturday, January 14, and lasts until 11:59pm on Sunday, the 15th.
Forecasters are expecting the storm to be a “multi-day icing event,” with between a quarter to a half an inch of ice accumulating over the weekend.
Dangers of Ice Storms
Ice storms are relatively rare events, requiring perfect weather conditions and temperatures. The air has to be warm enough for it to rain, but the ground and other surface areas have to be cold enough for that rain to freeze on impact. Not only does this turn any flat surface into a sheet of ice, but it also coats everything inside a heavy casing of frozen water. The weight of this ice coating is often enough to topple trees and drop power lines, while icy roads make car accidents much more common.
Avoiding Car Accidents in Icy Conditions
With so much ice coming, it’s important to refresh your memory on how to drive in the ice. While the best way to ensure you don’t get into a car accident in the ice is to stay inside and off the roads, here are some ice driving tips that can help prevent a serious car accident should you need to venture out this weekend:
- Drive slowly. In the ice or snow, driving over 45 mph – even on the highway – is dangerous. This is true regardless of what kind of vehicle you’re driving. SUVs and all-wheel-drives are not immune to ice, even if you’ve equipped them with snow tires. A sure sign that you’re going too fast is if you skid.
- Turn into a skid. This means turning the steering wheel in the same direction that the back of your car is sliding.
- Brake lightly. Stomping on the brakes often stops your tires, but this just makes your car slide uncontrollably on top of the ice.
St. Joseph Car Accident Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
Icy weather is some of the worst to travel in. The number of car accidents increases sharply in the ice and snow, and the personal injuries that result are often more severe.
This is why the attorneys at the Smith Law Office in St. Joseph work to represent people who have been hurt in car accidents. By fighting for your rights and interests both in and out of court, we can ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us online or call us at (816) 875-9373.