The time of the year is here when everyone is getting their snow tires on and driving slower.
Most students at Lakeland High School have little experience driving in the winter, so driving in the parking lot with all the snow and ice can be scary.
It is even more scary when there are immature drivers doing donuts and spinning in the parking lot.
“I think it is fine, but only when people are not around. I am scared one of them is going to hit me when I’m around,” Cole Cooper, a sophomore at LHS, said.
Driving with the ice and snow can be very unpredictable, and everyone should take the harsh weather seriously.
“Over 1,800 people die per year in a car crash due to driving in snowy and icy conditions,” according to Winter Driving Statistics.
Every year, there are accidents caused by or involving students because they underestimate the ice and snow while driving.
Driving recklessly in the winter can not only hurt the person driving but also everyone around them.
It is even unsafe when someone is driving recklessly on purpose.
“Skidding out or drifting purposely, or going too fast for conditions, can rise to a level of reckless driving, which is a misdemeanor, which is a jailable offense. Not only can you go to jail, your car can be towed, and then you will have to pay to get it back, your insurance goes up, and your license will be suspended,” Greg Hudson, the resource officer at LHS, said.
So, it is not worth it to spin in the school parking lot. Risking losing a license is a big deal for something like drifting in the school parking lot.
Taking extra precautions like driving slower, staying farther behind other cars, not being on their phone, and more when it is icy out can help everyone stay safer during the winter.
“Giving yourself extra time, extra space when driving is very important,” Hudson said.
Even with all these precautions that are supposed to be taken, most people do not know the required extra steps that ensure that everyone is staying safe on the roads.
“Everybody, not just students, because really that’s not taught in drivers ed, and then doing your time behind the wheel with an instructor, there’s no emergency driving practice during,” Hudson said. “Drivers training across the country falls well short of being helpful.”
Taking the time to practice driving in harsh weather conditions would be beneficial to everyone who drives.
Also, just make sure everyone takes extra precautions while driving, like keeping a bigger distance between cars, driving slower, and not spinning in the parking lot, especially while there are other people or cars around.
Having snow tires and an ice scraper are also necessities while driving in the winter weather, so make sure everyone takes the time to get their tires changed.
Taking these extra steps can make driving in the winter much safer and easier for everyone.