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Driving in the winter weather

Meteorologist JD got some tips on driving through the wintry mess for his first winter in Minnesota

WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. — The first wintry conditions of the year can catch us off guard. Take this past Saturday morning: a bit of snow in the metro caused 118 accidents in just over 5 hours. So KARE11 meteorologist JD Disharoon decided to find someone who could help him navigate driving our slick roads this winter season.

After heading up to A+ Driving School in White Bear Lake, the first step was to check his truck before even hitting the road: tires, wipers, windshield wiper fluid, headlamps, tail lights… you get the point.

It was a good first step. The front tires were nearly bald on the sidewalls and had limited tread left on the rest of the tire. Time for a replacement. Also, since the truck is rear-wheel drive, he’s going to need something to weigh the back axle down to help with traction on slushy roads.

RELATED: Winter Weather Awareness Week: What you need to know

Once out on the road, driving skills are key, but so is paying attention to the other drivers on the road, including the ones behind us. If someone is tailgating you, give yourself even MORE space between yourself and the car in front of you. That way, if that front car slams on the brakes, you can gradually come to a stop, lowering the chance the car behind you rear-ends you.

And last, but not least, he’s got to keep his truck clean! The pet peeve of many a Minnesotan is the person who doesn’t clean off their vehicle and has snow from their hood and roof smashing into your windshield and either causing damage or at the least blocking your view of the road.

RELATED: Why do bridges and overpasses get icy?

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