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| Roads thawing, but icy spots surprising drivers |
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| 12/16/2008 |
Overconfident drivers spinning out on shaded highway section
SPRINGFIELD – The Oregon Department of Transportation warns motorists to remain vigilant while driving in Lane, Linn and Benton counties as spots of ice on nearly every area highway continue to surprise drivers.
Several vehicle crashes, including a Tuesday afternoon injury accident on Highway 126 West near Walton, have been attributed to vehicles traveling too fast for conditions.
“With the sun and the good work of our crews, we are down to bare pavement on portions of some highways, so drivers are starting to speed up,” said ODOT District Manager Mike Spaeth. “Then they hit a shaded area of the highway where ice is still thick and bad things happen.”
ODOT asks motorists to be patient and maintain slow, safe speeds while temperatures remain below freezing. A quick snap shot of Lane County area highways as of 2:45 p.m.:
- Interstate 5 from Cottage Grove north to milepoint 209: Patches of ice
- Interstate 105 and Beltline Highway: Patches of ice, beware of shaded areas
- Highway 99N and Highway 126W: More frequent ice patches, be exceedingly cautious of shaded areas.
- Highway 126E and Highway 58 east of Pleasant Hill: Rapidly improving conditions, expect intermittent patches of ice.
Safety tips for driving in winter conditions
- Check Oregon’s road conditions and weather forecasts at www.TripCheck.com before you leave, or call 5-1-1 (available from most cell phone service providers) for valuable travel information, updated continuously.
- Make someone aware of your routes, and if plans change, let that person know. Check in when you’ve reached your destination.
- Always wear your seat belt.
- Keep your fuel tank at full.
- Clear any snow, ice or frost from windows, lights, hood, heater and air inlet vents (and don’t forget mirrors and wipers).
- Do not drive with heater in recirculation mode; it can increase humidity.
- Drive with your lights on and reduce your speed.
Use these tips to prevent slips if there is ice or snow on the road
- Don’t use cruise control in wet, icy or snowy weather.
- Position your hands on the steering wheel at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock or lower.
- If you lose traction, gradually slow down — don’t slam on the brakes.
- Steering, braking and accelerating smoothly are key to maximum vehicle control on slippery surfaces. Steer just enough to follow the path you intend (most people steer too much or too fast).
- Be ready to handle potentially dangerous situations by thinking “15 seconds ahead” about your options, such as controlling your speed, changing lanes or communicating with others on the road.
- Use extra caution when driving on bridges or concrete highways. Ice forms first on these surfaces.
- Avoid driving through snowdrifts; they may cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
- Slow down in advance of shaded areas (especially curves) where ice and snow are the last to melt.
- Carry chains or use traction tires.
- Chain up early.
Know before you go!
Road Conditions and Cameras: www.tripcheck.com; 5-1-1
Winter Driving Tips: www.oregon.gov/ODOT/COMM/winterdriving.shtml
ODOT winter operations video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3ZimTZ2XSE
ODOT: www.oregon.gov/ODOT/
# # ODOT # #
For more information: Joe Harwood, Public Information Officer (541) 726-2442
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