ADOT offers winter driving tips for high country conditions

PHOENIX — In the Flagstaff area for elevations above 6,500 feet, the National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory from 2 a.m. to noon Thursday.

To better prepare those who will be driving up in the Arizona high country’s winter conditions, the Arizona Department of Transportation has provided the following tips:

• Slow down, be patient and drive safely. Plan for extra travel time.

• Be alert: ice forms on bridges first and is hard to see.

• When driving behind a snowplow, stay back at least a few car lengths until it’s safe to pass or until the plow pulls off the road. If you think you’re traveling too close to a plow, you probably are. Be safe and stay back!

• Notify someone of your travel route, destination and projected arrival time.

• Carry an emergency preparedness kit in your vehicle that includes blankets, extra clothes, a flashlight, an ice scraper, a shovel, sand for traction, a fully charged cell phone and hazard warning lights or reflectors.

• Brake slowly to avoid any panic braking or jerking the steering wheel.

• Increase the distance between you and the traffic ahead.

• Carry plenty of food and water and all necessary medications.

• Carry tire chains, snow cables or snow tires.

• Wear warm clothes to protect you during extended time periods in cold temperatures.