Winter weather has created some slick and hazardous roads across Kansas. Walt Brinker, the author of "Roadside Survival," says the best way for motorists to avoid sliding off the road, or getting stuck in snow and icy conditions, is to stay home.
"If you do have to go out, you need to watch your speed—accelerate and decelerate very gradually and don't make any sudden stops," Brinker says. "If you can avoid stopping at stop lights by timing your driving so that you arrive as they turn green or while they're green, you'll be much further ahead than if you had to stop for a light."
Brinker and other safety experts suggest keeping your gas tank full and carrying an emergency kit in your vehicle, especially during frigid weather. Brinker says many automobile breakdowns in the wintertime are caused by blowouts.
"The biggest culprit for blowouts in tires is low air pressure in the tires," Brinker says. "There's a good chance that your tires, if they were properly inflated at 70 degrees a month or so ago, and now it's 20 degrees, they're going be five pounds lower and there's a good chance that'll cause a blowout."
Brinker has assisted more than 2000 stranded motorists for free during his lifetime. He says blowouts have been the primary cause for most of those breakdowns.
