NORTH TEXAS — Having spent 25 years as a Texas state trooper, Patrick Williams has seen his fair share of dangerous road conditions.
“Every kind, from standing water to freezing rain to snow, to ice,” he said.
Now, as an instructor at Ideal Driving School in Plano, he tells his students this.
“It is never worth it to take a chance going someplace when the weather is so bad and the road conditions are bad,” he said.
However, if you do have to be out on the roads, he said it’s important to be prepared.
He recommends always having a safety kit. This can include items like bottled water, snacks, extra coats or blankets, just in case you get stranded.
“Make sure your vehicle is prepared,” he said. “That you have fuel. That the tires are in good condition. That it’s been serviced.”
He said know where you’re going and understand the road conditions.
“Of course, nowadays have a cell phone,” he said. “If you encounter a slick spot, do not give it gas, do not break, just allow the vehicle to skid on its own and straighten it up as you go.”