JAY, Vt. (WCAX) – The winter conditions this week may make for good skiing and snowboarding, but getting to the mountains on icy roads can be treacherous. Vermont authorities on Wednesday offered some reminders to help folks get to their destinations safely
Driving in New England winters is no easy feat, and one of the main messages for drivers is to slow down.
“The sign out on the road might say 50, but that doesn’t mean you have to go 50,” said Chittenden County Sheriff Lt. Allen Fortin.
Officials from agencies across the state met at Jay Peak Wednesday to share that message, along with other winter driving safety tips.
It comes as people from in and outside Vermont flock to the mountains to take advantage of fresh snow.
“When you leave the hill and go back down to Montgomery or St. Albans, it really is a different world up here. We communicate regularly with our AOT partners as well as the state police and sheriff’s department, and they work with us. It’s a great relationship,” said Jay Peak’s Tom Howell.
It’s not just other cars on the road or pedestrians that drivers have to be wary about. Authorities say that the increase in the Amish population in certain areas has led to more horses and buggies on the roads. “The shoulders on a lot of Vermont roadways are not nearly wide enough to accommodate the width and the size of some of these alternative modes of transportation,” said Vermont State Police Lt. Andrew Jensen.
They remind drivers to use winter tires, keep an emergency kit, and give yourself plenty of time to make your commute this winter a bit safer.
“It really comes down to your tires and your speed, and some common sense driving,” Jensen said.