From October 16-23, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 836 calls for service/events. Our higher call volumes occurred in the following areas: Traffic Stops-200, Alarms-43, Traffic Violations-40, Suspicious Subject/Situation/Vehicle-40, Asist Citizen/Motorist Assists-32, Car/Deer Accidents-29, Shoplifting Complaints-25, Traffic Hazards-25, Property Damage Crashes-24, Check Well-Beings-19, Larcenies-18, Domestic Disputes-16, Property Damage Hit & Run-12, Civil Complaints-11, Unwanted Subject-9, and Personal Injury Crashes-9.
It’s that time of year again when thoughts turn to colder temperatures and varying road conditions. Here are some reminders as you prepare for the next few months.
Some tips to winterize your car:
- Test your battery; battery power drops as the temperature drops
- Make sure the cooling system is in good working order
- Have winter tires with a deeper, more flexible tread put on your car
- If using all-season tires, check the tread on your tires and replace if less than 2/32 of an inch
- Check the tire pressure; tire pressure drops as the temperature drops
- Check replace wiper blades; Add wiper fluid rated for -30 degrees
- Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze
- Remember to keep your car’s emergency preparedness kit fully stocked, too.
Before You Start Out -
- Clean your car’s external camera lenses and side view mirrors
- 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
How to Avoid a Crash –
- 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