BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (WTVF) — Driving in these winter conditions can be scary for many people.
In addition to crashes with other vehicles, sliding off the road and getting stuck can be especially dangerous.
There are some techniques you can use to get your car unstuck if you slide off the road. Jeremy Lyon has seen generations of drivers hit the snowy roads in Tennessee.
"Whenever it snows, and everyone's already gone to Kroger and emptied the shelves, then they end up with a lot of car accidents from skidding and sliding from ice and snow," said Jeremy Lyon, owner of Brentwood Driver Training.
If you get stuck in a snowbank, Lyon advises first to try something called rocking.
“Put your car in reverse and drive and reverse and drive to rock the car back and forth very gently, and that often will loosen it up good enough,” Lyon said.
You can use a shovel or your foot to clear the snow from around your tires. If you plan ahead you can keep items in your car to help too to get traction on the snow.
“You can carry a bag of kitty litter in your car, and you sprinkle that,” Lyon said.
However, if you forget, you probably already have something that can do the trick, your front floor mats.
"You tuck it under there really tight to get it under that tire and now you have something dry you can drive over without skidding," Lyon said.
There are ways of preventing your car from sliding off the road in the first place.
According to Lyon, if you feel like you are skidding on the ice, take your foot off the accelerator and downshift to help slow your car down without using the brakes if you can.
Tap here for more driving tips.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
Breaking barriers and moving to the beat! One local dance company is making it possible for young people in wheelchairs to move and groove like everyone else. Good for your mental health, good for your physical health and good for your dose of positive news today. I hope you check out what they're doing!
-Rebecca Schleicher
