• Slow down, especially through high water. Driving through several inches of water at high speed can cause you to lose control of the car.
• Watch for hydroplaning conditions. If you hydroplane, ease off the gas, gently apply the brakes and steer straight ahead.
• Keep your distance. If it hasn’t rained in a while, road surfaces will be slick.
• Turn on your headlights to improve visibility.
• Disengage your cruise control.

Maintain your Vehicle

• Before heading out in wet weather, check your wipers for signs of damage. Replace wiper blades regularly.
• Make sure your defroster is functioning properly, especially if you haven’t used it in a while.
• Check your brakes. After driving through a puddle, check that brakes are working properly by tapping them gently a few times.
• Make sure tires are in good condition and are at the recommended inflation level. Tires should have a recommended 2/32 of an inch tread depth at any two adjacent grooves. Driving on over-inflated or under-inflated tires reduces traction and control on wet pavement.

Most navigation tools don't take current road or weather conditions into consideration. They may direct you onto remote roads that are neither maintained or passable in all weather conditions. Because of this, here are a few tips to consider:

What you can do:

• Be aware that the app on your phone or in your GPS device might not have the latest information. Don't follow it blindly!
• Use TripCheck.com (available online and on your phone) before you go to get the latest on state road conditions. You can also call 511.
• Remember, in winter conditions (or in summer's fire season), roads can be impassable, so USE COMMON SENSE.
• If you are not familiar with an area and current road conditions, stay on state roads and don't attempt detours onto roads you don't know.
• Alter your travel plans. If you are not sure of the route and conditions your device directs you to, ask local folks for information and consult a map. It is better to stay the night in town rather than be stuck on a remote road in the middle of nowhere.

When weather is at its worst, our statewide Winter Level of Service Plan goes into effect. It establishes anti-icing/de-incing, sanding and plowing priorities for state highways. Priorities are based on safety, the relative amounts of traffic carried and the anticipated impact to commerce and industry.

There are five Statewide Levels of Service. Highways tagged for high-volume priority service are plowed first; medium and low-volume highways are handled as soon as possible thereafter.

When winter weather hits, we'll work around the clock. Be remember: our goal is to keep roads passable, not completely free of ice and snow. During a one day storm, crews may use approximately 600 trucks full of sand and 150 trucks of de-icer.

Clean up

Clean up operations begin as bad weather clears. It normally takes 4-8 weeks to remove all the sanding material that was placed on the road.

Practices may vary

Our winter maintenance practices may not reflect the practices used on county or city roadways. Contact your city or county for that information.

Bridges and overpasses are the most dangerous parts of the road in the winter. They are the first to freeze and the last to thaw because they’re built of concrete, which doesn’t retain as much heat as other materials. Be safe while driving on icy roads by remembering the following:

• Turn off your cruise control, be alert and drive cautiously.
• Roads that are wet or have fresh snow, packed snow, or ice have varying degrees of traction. Adjust your speed to match road conditions accordingly.
• Increase your distance from vehicles in front of you. Allow about three times as much space as usual.
• If your vehicle suddenly feels like it’s floating, gradually slow down. Tap on your brakes gently; don’t slam on them.
• Changes in elevation can drastically affect road and weather conditions. Watch for icy spots, especially in shaded corners.
• Avoid driving through snowdrifts — they may cause your vehicle to spin out of control.
• Blowing powder or dry snow can limit your visibility, especially when approaching or following trucks or snowplows. Keep your distance to avoid being blinded by blowing snow.
• Look for signs of ice on windshield wipers, side view mirrors, road signs, trees or fences. If ice has formed on any of these things, it may be on the road as well.

Invisible Danger: Black Ice

Black ice, also called glare ice or clear ice, is a thin layer of ice on the roadway. Any ice is dangerous to drive on, but black ice is particularly hazardous because the road looks wet, not icy. Black ice isn’t really black; it’s so thin and transparent that the darker pavement shows through. It often has a matte appearance rather than the expected gloss.

Ordinary snow tires are designed for snow, not ice. The most helpful device for gaining traction on ice is tire chains. But even with chains, stopping distance is still several times greater than on dry pavement with ordinary tires.

Black ice is most common at night and very early in the morning, when temperatures are typically their lowest. It is usually thin enough that it melts soon after sunlight hits it, but it can last much longer on shaded areas of roadways. The ground cools more slowly than the air and warms back more slowly as well, so even if the air temperature is above freezing, the roadway may still be frozen. This discrepancy between temperatures can lull drivers into a false sense of security.

• Check road conditions on your route before you go at TripCheck or by dialing 511. Plan your trip accordingly.
• Allow extra time to get where you’re going. Travel is going to be slow.
• Allow extra stopping distance. There is less traction on slick, snowy roads.
• Brake gently to avoid skidding or sliding. If the wheels lock up, ease off the brakes.
• Carry chains and know how to use them.
• Make sure your vehicle is in top operating conditions, with clean headlights, good brakes, working windshield wipers and good tires.
• Slow down when approaching off-ramps, bridges and shady spots where the snow often lingers longer.
• Turn on your headlights to increase your visibility.
• Be prepared for delays. Make sure you have water, blankets, a full tank of gas…and plenty of patience!
• If you feel tired or if road conditions get rough, don’t be afraid to stop for the night.

From Lincoln County Emergency Management:

As we get further into the chilly season, this is a great reminder to use extra caution when driving: bridges freeze first.

• No ground underneath the bridge means the entire structure can be surrounded by cold air.
• Freezing isn't uniform. Parts of the bridge may be icy while others are not.
• Slow down before the bridge. Changing speed on ice is dangerous.

It's illegal to pass a snowplow on the right on state highways. On most Oregon highways, snowplows have “wing” plows that stick out more than eight feet from the right front edge of the truck. The snow being plowed or blown off the road can contain rocks and other debris that can damage vehicles.

Drivers who try to pass on the right when a snowplow is in operation run the risk of damaging their vehicles, hitting the snowplow or running off the road and into a snow bank or guardrail.

Drivers should give winter maintenance vehicles such as plows and sanders a wide berth. They do not travel at high speeds and other vehicles quickly overtake them. Plows and sanding trucks pull over periodically to let traffic pass. The best advice is to stay at least three car lengths behind and give yourself more time to get where you are going.