Bangor police advise safe winter driving practices
BANGOR — With the arrival of winter weather, officials remind drivers about the importance of safety on the road.
Although Bangor’s snowfall this season has been irregular, officials say that motorists should use caution when there is any amount of snow or ice on the roadways.
According to Lieutenant Wade Betters of the Bangor Police Department, recent snowfall has already caused some problems for drivers. Betters says that between January 6 and 7, the Bangor Police Department has responded to at least ten accidents in Bangor alone.
Betters says that this is a common occurrence.
“Generally, we have a high amount of accidents here in the city of Bangor, and we do see an increase in accidents as soon as the weather turns cold and driving conditions deteriorate,” said Betters.
According to Betters, people should avoid driving if there is low visibility and poor weather, and that even driving the speed limit in bad road conditions can be excessive.
However, if you have to hit the road, Betters says that there are steps drivers can take to stay safe.
“Allow for extra time to arrive at your destination, reduce your speed — anticipate that braking is going to be more difficult when the road’s are slick, ice-covered, snow-covered,” said Betters. “But by all means, make sure your speed is appropriate for the weather conditions.”
Officials say that rear-end accidents are often the most common, advising that drivers should increase their distance between other cars to avoid a collision.
According to the Maine Department of Transportation’s website, there were almost 2,000 highway crashes that occurred during snowy conditions in 2021.
Additionally, the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety reports that there was an increase in the number of total vehicle deaths in 2022.
The post Bangor police advise safe winter driving practices appeared first on WVII / Fox Bangor.