Connect With Your Community!
Connect With Your Community!
Winter has arrived, and with it, dangerous driving conditions!
At this time of year, the roads are always unpredictable, and whether you are a seasoned Montana driver or have never driven in snowy, icy conditions, it is always a good idea to refresh yourself on a few key factors when commuting in the cold.
The Willow Creek Fire Department has seen a drastic uptick in the number of motor vehicle accidents we respond to in the last few years - in fact, they make up the majority of our call volume.
Our district stretches from Cardwell Hill to Three Forks on Interstate 90 and Wheat Montana to Sappington Bridge on Highway 287 - and we regularly respond 10 miles further for mutual aid. Working the scenes of these accidents is dangerous in the best of conditions and outright life-threatening as the weather deteriorates. We would like to see everyone get to their destinations safely and without incident, but unfortunately, all too often, that is not the case for many.
We have compiled a list of tips for driving in unsafe weather and would like to remind our community members the importance of driving mindfully.
The number of commuters has increased, and so do the calls for assistance which we provide through our 100% volunteer service. But we would love to see the day that those call statistics reverse.
Take a few moments and read through these tips and helpful reminders and share with friends! Do you have any helpful tips that could be added? Spread the word amongst your community and let us all work together to make it a safer place!
1. ALWAYS buckle up!
2. Avoid having large, heavy, unsecured items in your cab. Very often the cause of injury or death in an accident is the moving objects inside of the cab, and not actually the mechanism itself. Don't forget - a human person who is not wearing a seatbelt counts as a large, heavy, unsecured object! ALWAYS buckle up!
3. ALWAYS properly secure car seats when traveling with young ones. It is imperative to have the seat strapped in properly, tightly, and the child wearing their seatbelt as intended. Remember that the middle clasp should sit over the baby's chest, not lower near the stomach. We first responders cannot stress enough the importance of securing your child in their car seat.
4. Travel at the distance of a car length between you and the driver in front of you. You never know how much reaction time you may have if the conditions change suddenly.
5. Drive with your lights on.
6. Think in terms of how you will respond if you turn a corner or reach the top of a hill, and unexpectedly find yourself in the middle of an accident scene. You will not be able to predict which side of the road it may be on, how many vehicles are involved, if there are people out of their vehicles, countless other variables and it will happen in the blink of an eye - if you are distracted, speeding, or being careless, the consequences will be compounded. First responders do their best to get warning signs out ahead of the scene as quickly as possible - be aware of them!
7. IF YOU SEE A RESPONDER WITH A SIGN INSTRUCTING YOU TO MOVE TO THE OTHER LANE, DO NOT RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL LANE AFTER YOU HAVE PASSED BY THEM. They are signaling to you that somewhere up ahead, the lane they are moving you out of is closed. They are usually posted at one and a few (sometimes several) miles ahead of the scene to ensure plenty of course correction time for drivers.
8. Expect delays. Be prepared and plan ahead. An impatient driver is not a safe driver, so give yourself extra time to arrive at your intended destination, and realize it is possible that work or appointments might end up getting missed altogether on some days. Some situations are out of our control; we must learn to adapt! Carry an emergency kit in your trunk. This kit should have blankets, water, snacks, a basic first aid kit, extra hats and gloves, etc.
9. When at all possible, try to keep your gas tank full when traveling in the winter. If you end up stranded, you may be relying on your vehicle's heater to keep you warm for several hours.
10. Be aware that road conditions often change swiftly, drastically, and with no warning. Therefore, it is best practice to drive with cautious intention, paying attention to the elements and watching for indicators that there could be ice, snowpack, or low visibility ahead. If you believe you are hitting ice, tap your breaks, but do not slam on them.
11. SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES, AND WATCH FOR TOW TRUCK
OPERATORS. Tow trucks often remain on the scene after the fire crews have been released, and they are not equipped with the same warning materials. They are extremely vulnerable and statistically have a drastically higher rate of job-related mortality than any other type of first responder. Please do your part to help us return safely to our families, as we do our part to help you return safely to yours.
As always, it is an honor to serve this community, and we thank you for your attention and support.
