Getting up earlier than usual to warm up your car, being so cold that it feels like icicles are starting to form on you for the first half of your drive and being late to everything because you have to go 15 miles under the speed limit. These are just a few of the problems you may face during Michigan’s harsh winter months.

Michigan’s winters in combination with its awful roads make for interesting driving conditions. As a result, many students have a hard time not getting in an accident.

“It’s my first time in a snowstorm and I’m driving down my driveway. My driveway is steep and it was coated in snow. I didn’t have snow tires and I slid right out of my driveway on to M-89,” said Gabe Torres ‘19.

With Torres’ close call he came to a realization and had some advice for fellow drivers.

“Get snow tires,” said Torres.

Other students have also had trouble driving in the winter. One even got in an actual accident.

“My sister Kate got stuck in a ditch because she’s a bad driver. When I was getting her out someone slid down a hill and ran into us,” said Joe Farho ‘20.

With that experience, Farho also realized that you have to be aware of the people that are driving around you.

Some students haven’t had any close calls as of now. They gave some advice on how to be a successful driver during winter months.

“Don’t think you’re better than the roads. Don’t be too confident,” said Leah Brady ‘19.

Although Brady hasn’t had any close calls, she does drive a Jeep which is known to handle well in the winter.

Although students tend to do the worst in the winter because of their lack of experience, adults also have problems as well. Our very own Driver Education Teacher Kevin Badalamente has been in his fair share of accidents.

“A guy that was driving too fast slid through an intersection and hit me. It spun me around and did some damage to the rear of my ‘84 Mercury Cougar. The damage was fixable though,” said Badalamente.

Badalamente also gave some advice on how to avoid accidents.

“Go slow and stay alert,” said Badalamente.

This was also one of the many pieces of advice that the American Automobile Association(AAA) has for drivers.  Before even starting your morning trip, the AAA says while it is good to warm your car, don’t do it in an enclosed space like a garage. Warming the car in the garage exposes you to carbon monoxide and other gases that could potentially kill you.

      While driving, the AAA recommends that you accelerate and brake slowly. This gives your tires a chance to keep the little grip on the road that they have.

      Last, one of the most important driving tips the AAA gives is just to drive slow and be cautious. Everyone knows that it’s harder to drive in the winter, so just take your time and be safe.