Calling for careful winter driving (12/12/2008)

Drivers in Indiana and Ohio always get a chuckle when television news shows our counterparts in places like Georgia dealing with a rare snowfall.

Cars go sliding every which way and we tell ourselves that our southern brethren are woefully short of winter driving skills. Implied, of course, is a good dose of self-congratulation. It's one form of compensation for having to endure harsh winters in the Midwest.

But last Saturday served as a wake-up call.

The first nasty road conditions of the season resulted in a fatality on Ind. 67, and anyone who was out in that mess can assure you it could have been even worse. Part of the reason was the conditions. A light dusting of snow hid a thin layer of ice, and it was easy to misjudge how secure a car's footing was on the pavement.

But part of it was first-of-winter driving mistakes. For some on the road, it appeared as if all of the lessons that were clear last January and February had been forgotten.

Some drove faster than conditions warranted. Others panicked and drove more slowly than necessary, creating long lines and increasing the risk of a chain reaction accident. Still others compounded the danger by following too closely and not leaving enough room to respond on slick pavement in an emergency.

If it was intended as a refresher course from Mother Nature, we hope it worked. There are weeks of difficult road conditions ahead of us, and we'll all get through it better with a measure of sanity, thoughtfulness, and care. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]