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Winter Driving Awareness Week will take place from January 11 to January 17 in Pennsylvania, aiming to educate the public on safe driving practices during the winter months. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is emphasizing the importance of preparation and caution on icy and snow-covered roads.
Motorists are encouraged to prepare their vehicles by checking fluid levels, lights, defrosters, and windshield wiper blades. Tires should be checked for proper air pressure and tread depth. PennDOT also recommends carrying a winter emergency kit, which includes items like non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, a cell phone charger, and a small snow shovel. The kit should be tailored to individual needs, including supplies for babies, pets, or extra medication.
During winter storms, PennDOT's goal is to keep roads passable, not completely free of snow and ice. The department focuses on interstates and expressways, with more attention given to roads with higher traffic volumes. To stay informed about road conditions, the public can access travel information on nearly 40,000 state-maintained roadway miles at www.511PA.com, where they can also find plow-truck locations and details of when roads were last plowed.
PennDOT advises motorists to slow down, increase their following distance, and avoid distractions when encountering snow or ice-covered roads. Last winter, Pennsylvania recorded 8,329 crashes, 29 fatalities, and 2,959 injuries on snowy, slushy, or ice-covered roads, with aggressive driving behaviors being significant contributing factors.
To further promote safety, PennDOT is actively seeking temporary equipment operators for the winter season to supplement its full-time staff. More information on these positions is available at www.employment.pa.gov/penndot.