CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When winter weather strikes, driving conditions frequently suffer. While North and South Carolina Departments of Transportation have been readying salt and brine trucks, drivers, too, are urged to be cautious.
Visibility could drop later Thursday with snow and sleet forecasted to fall in the afternoon and evening. A freeze headed into early Friday could pose a travel concern with black ice.
"I'm just praying that we don't have a lot of accidents and people take their time and slow down," said Marjorie Pierce, who was filling up her gas tank in Charlotte Wednesday evening.
"In the rain, they don't even slow down," Pierce said. "So, I know they're not going to slow down if we have snow,"
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, severe weather causes roughly a half-million crashes and more than 2,000 deaths every year.
"Stay home. If you don't have to be out in this stuff, don't take any unnecessary risks," says Tiffany Wright, with AAA of the Carolinas.
However, if driving does become necessary, AAA recommends checking that your tires are properly inflated and windshield wipers are working well before headed out.
Slower speeds will also be key as visibility reduces and slick conditions become a concern.
If you find yourself in a skid where your rear tires are sliding to one side, troopers recommend avoiding hitting the brakes. Instead, turn your steering wheel in the direction your rear is sliding.
Although DOTs are taking measures to keep the roads as clear as possible, highway patrol is gearing up for double or triple the crash calls.
If you're one of those, and the crash is minor, here's how you can help:
"If you get out, assess, and there is no damage to your vehicle, no damage to any other property, you're more than welcome to continue on to your destination," said Trooper Ray Pierce with the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Troopers warn the most concerning roadway spots will be overpasses, which get air circulation both above and below the roadway. They get colder quicker and tend to ice first.
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