Tip Tuesday: Winter driving safety

As winter approaches, it's not a bad time to review some winter driving basics.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – As winter approaches, it’s not a bad time to review some winter driving basics.

When the weather turns sour, avoid using cruise control. It limits the amount of direct control you have over your vehicle’s speed. And speaking of speed, make sure to accelerate and decelerate slowly and carefully to minimize sliding.

There may come a time when you find yourself in a skid. If that happens, steer into the skid. You will eventually regain traction, and you can then drive out of the skid, rather than spinning back out because you over-corrected.

As you’re out and about, increase the space between you and others. Allow your following distance to jump up by a good 10 seconds or so. That will give you a bit of a cushion that could be the difference between an accident and a close call.

When you come to a stop, there are places you may want to avoid. An incline, for example. You may find it hard to get back going again if you do come to a stop, and if it’s slick enough, you just might start sliding back down the grade.

Finally, visibility is crucial. If you can’t see, don’t go out. If you’re already out and visibility begins to deteriorate around you, find a safe place to pull over. Whiteout conditions can happen with little warning, and the safest thing to do is to just wait them out.