Winter Storm is here: Drivers beware!

Chicago and Suburbs had a little taste of winter last week when we were hit with 3 - 6 inches of snow, but today things are going to get serious. 

The storm is already hitting the suburbs and will continue to grow in strength with wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour.  That should make the rush hour commute an even more miserable experience than usual.

By the time the storm leaves town, most of the Chicago area will be covered with 4 to 8 inches of snow, says weather service meteorologist Jim Allsopp.

Hopefully most drivers will remember how slippery the roads were last week and slow down.  Every year we spend months driving in the white stuff only to forget the lessons of the previous winter. 

Hopefully last weeks snow will have jogged our collective memories about the hazards associated with winter driving and the threat of serious accidents.  Two lives were lost due to last week's storm.  One took place in Oswego, where weather and road conditions appear to have been factors in a crash that killed a 51-year-old woman on Thursday, and another in Lake County, which took the life of 19-year old Lisa Collins. 

During the first snow fall a semitrailer driven by a Chicago man was attempting to avoid a three-car collision when the truck struck Collins' 2004 Jeep Liberty, Joe said. Collins' vehicle then slammed into a Ford pickup that was stopped on the highway's left shoulder, pinning her inside her vehicle.

What do drivers need to remember about winter driving?

1) Slow down!  You are probably running late for one thing or another, due to the weather, but you are better off getting there late than not at all.

2) The cold temperatures will hinder the effect of road salt to melt the ice and snow. 

3) Due to the extreme cold pedestrians are going to take unnecessary chances crossing streets where they shouldn't to escape the cold.

4) Approaches to intersections are going to be extremely slippery.  You need to start braking earlier than normal.  Pedestrians are going to step into the crosswalk and assume you will be able to stop, so make sure you can.

5) Put your phone away and focus on driving!  Traffic accidents caused by distracted driving are on the rise; add in the difficulties of driving on icy roads and you have a recipe for disaster.

Pedestrians, just because you have the right of way doesn't mean the oncoming car is going to see you and be able to stop in time.  You may be right, just don't be dead right.

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