Overall the Eaton County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 987 calls for service/events. Our higher call volumes occurred in the following areas: Alarms (24), Car/Deer Accidents (49), Assist Citizen/Motorist Assists (30), Check Well Beings (24), Domestic Disputes (13), Shoplifting Complaints (25), Larcenies (24), Operating While Impaired (3), Property Damage Hit & Run (13), Personal Injury Crashes (3), Property Damage Crashes (35), Suspicious Subject/Situation/Vehicle (42), Traffic Hazards (45), Traffic Stops (264), Traffic Violations (32), and Civil Complaints (14).
I’ve seen a couple times recently where “snow” was mentioned in the weather forecast. We have all heard predictions about how mild or harsh this year’s winter will be. What we all know for sure is that it will snow, blow, give us freezing temperatures, and ice on roadways. These challenges require us to adjust how we drive in wintery road conditions. Here are a few reminders on driving in Michigan winters:
· Before you start out, clean your car’s external camera lenses and side view mirrors so you’ll be able to see what’s around you.
· Remove dirt, ice and snow from sensors to allow the assistive-driving features like automatic emergency braking to work.
· In frigid weather, you may want to warm up the car before you drive it. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, never leave a vehicle running in your garage – even with the garage door up.
· If the forecast looks iffy, wait out the storm if possible; if you must travel, share your travel plans and route with someone before you leave and make sure your cell phone is charged.
· Avoid using cruise control in wintry conditions.
- Steer in the direction of a skid, so when your wheels regain traction, you don’t have to overcorrect to stay in your lane.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly.
- Increase following distance to 8 to 10 seconds.
- If possible, don't stop when going uphill.
If visibility is severely limited due to a whiteout, pull off the road to a safe place and do not drive until conditions improve. Avoid pulling off onto the shoulder unless it is an absolute emergency. Limited visibility means other vehicles can’t see yours on the shoulder.
Yours in Public Safety,
Sheriff Tom Reich