In Oregon, we know life doesn’t stop just because it’s raining or snowing, but there are things we can do to keep ourselves and others safe when we’re out and about. Visit our Winter Driving Tips website for more information and the “Winter Driving Guide.” Learn about winter car kit essentials. Remember to slow down and allow extra stopping distance. Carry chains and know how to use them. Never pass a snowplow or any winter maintenance truck on the right – it’s illegal and you may run into the wing plow that sticks out on the right. And check road conditions on your route before you go at TripCheck.com so you arrive safely at your destination.

ODOT offered a crash course — pun intended — in winter driving techniques for when winter weather strikes using a skid car to practice safe driving at Portland International Raceway. If you do find yourself in a skid, the instructor’s advice is to counter-steer and look in the direction you want the car to go, rather than the object you're trying to avoid. Other tips for winter driving: slow down, keep eyes focused up the road in order to anticipate rather than react to emergency situations, allow longer braking distances, and do all braking with your vehicle traveling straight before entering a corner.

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Family and friends play a large role in keeping older family members safe on the road, but it can be hard to start the conversation. The best time to start talking about it (brief video) is before there is a problem. As we age, driving safely can become more difficult. Our ability to react quickly, remember, and make judgments in traffic situations may decrease. For many of us, our eyesight worsens and our strength and flexibility decrease. It can also take us longer to react to unexpected situations. While age-related changes happen to all of us, they don’t affect all drivers at the same rate or in the same way. Learn more with educational resources for older drivers and their loved ones or caregivers to help ensure older driver safety.

We know there’s something even scarier than a shark: when a driver has been watching a video while driving! And because he was distracted, he narrowly missed a pedestrian in the crosswalk. The hustle and bustle of the holidays is around the corner! Don’t let your to-do list distract you behind the wheel – stay focused on safety. Although the shark may seem scary, there is a very real, very serious danger of distracted driving.

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We all want to make sure our teenagers are safe. One proven way to do that is by enrolling them in an ODOT-approved driver education course. Teens who complete this course get fewer traffic tickets, save on insurance, and are far less likely to be in a crash. It could even save their life. Learn more at WhyDriveWithEd.com.