Helpful tips on steering clear of winter accidents

Throughout the day on Tuesday, snow plows were trying to keep the roads as clear as they could, but the snow kept falling at a pretty good pace.

The morning and afternoon commutes were both impacted by the falling snow.

WDIO spoke with experienced tow truck driver Zak McClelland, CEO of Duluth Towing, Mrs. Mac Towing, Superior Towing, and Automotive, about some of the main things drivers can do to avoid accidents while driving in snowy conditions.

“Number one, if you are not used to driving in these conditions, stay home, stay in your house, wait till the roads get cleared out by the city or the county or wherever you are at. And if you do want to get out, make sure your car is maintained and make sure you have good tires on there. Come see us at the shop or any other local shop in town. We are all really great around here, and we can get you set up with some good winter tires and a third and final drive for the conditions, slow down, take it easy, and leave early.”

If vehicles such as a car or a truck get stuck in the ditch, it can be an easy or difficult job when it comes to getting them out, McClelland says, but it all depends on two factors. “It all depends on how the car landed and what the owner of the vehicle did. The one thing is four-wheel drives are great, and all-wheel drives are great. But in these conditions, when you are speeding with it, all it is going to do is get you farther into the ditch. So they slow down and drive for the conditions.”

And when it comes to tow drivers, an important stat to know, according to Triple-AAA, is that a tow truck driver is killed every six days. “One thing we preach and the one thing we would love everyone to do is if you see us or any of our emergency counterparts on the side of the road, just slow down and move over. Give us room to work,” McClelland shares.