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Safety, first: Storms bring the inevitable

Feb 5, 2010 | Associated Press | Daily Camera News

With the full expectation that the prediction of an expected big snowstorm may turn out to be wrong and that our community will be reading this from the comfort of a dry day with dry roads and sidewalks, it's still a good opportunity to talk about the inevitable:

When we have the first two or three snow storms of the season, some drivers act as if they've never even seen a flake fall from the sky before. There will be accidents, and sometimes these are serious and fatal. And, as with most accidents, they are avoidable.

To be sure, snow may be new to a few of you. According to the Boulder County Trends report by the Community Foundation, a large number -- an estimated 13 percent -- of county residents did not live here a year ago. The turnover in the city of Boulder is higher: 17 percent are new to the county year-over-year. And some of them may be from, say, Phoenix.

But let's face it: For the majority of us, this isn't our first rodeo. A cold, chilly, wet, slick rodeo with low visibility.

In 2008, an estimated 67 percent of the county's workforce drove to work by themselves. City of Boulder officials on Tuesday, in advance of what was expected to be our first appreciable snow, urged locals to try and use alternative transportation to reduce the number of vehicles on local streets.

Some other tips:

Don't pass snowplows; a snowplow at work is wider than a traffic lane, and as you pass the flying snow and ice create a low visibility.

Stay at least three car lengths behind spreader trucks to avoid windshield damage from traction materials and to allow for plenty of stopping time.

If a roadway is icy or snowy, it can take between three and 12 times the distance to come to a stop. Leave plenty of distance between your car and the one in front of you.

Shovel your sidewalks. The Icebusters program is currently looking for able-bodied volunteers for their program, which tries to match people who can shovel with the elderly and disabled in the City of Boulder. If you would like to be a volunteer this year, please call 303-443-1933.

Also, if you're headed out to load up on food or drink in order to nest at home, remember to pick up some batteries. Saturday is "fall back" time, when clocks move back one hour. Safety officials advise residents this time of year to test their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and change the batteries.