Keeping safe on those wintry roads throughout the week
Looking at the snow-covered ground, you'd think this is a typical February day in Western New York, but recent winters have been unusually mild with below-average snowfall. This year, feels like a return to normal though it's clear some drivers may have forgotten how to handle these conditions. Mark Gruba, a communications specialist with AAA, emphasizes three key factors to keep in mind.
'Slow down, increase your following distance so there's more room around your vehicle and more time to react. Then the third one is slow down, then turn the wheel. So brake, then turn. Don't try to break and turn at the same time. If you do that, you increase the likelihood that the vehicle will go into a skid, particularly on snowy and icy roads,' said Gruba.
Clearing snow off your car isn't just about your safety it's essential for everyone on the road. But before heading out on a wintry day, there are a few other things you should check.
'Make sure that your headlights are working, that your wipers are in good working order as well. And that there's enough fluid in the wiper basin as well. These are all little things that can take a situation that's a little bit dangerous and make it very dangerous if they're not in good working order,' Gruba said.
Tomorrow is National Battery Day, and experts like Gruba are reminding drivers that winter can take a toll on car batteries, increasing the risk of failure.
'On a typical February day, about a quarter of the calls that we get at Triple A are for battery related issues, dead batteries. So it's common, it occurs. I think it really puts the focus on making sure that you've got a good working battery under the hood. So signs that your battery may not have a good working under the hood: if you're having trouble turning the car over, if you're hearing a grinding or a clicking sound, or if the lights are dim, but then brighten as you rev the engine,' said Gruba.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
High imports, soft summer demand weigh on US gasoline
By Nicole Jao and Shariq Khan NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. gasoline prices could fall below $3 a gallon this summer for the first time in over four years as a stretch of bad weather events dampens fuel demand and a jump in imports fills inventories. Gasoline prices have been in a lull in recent months, a boon for Americans traveling this summer. Consumers endured record prices at the pumps after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine upended energy markets. Gasoline prices fell 8.3% over the 12-month period ended June, the latest Consumer Price Index report showed, as U.S. crude prices tumbled more than 20% amid concerns over lackluster demand and a trade war with China. Lower oil prices reduce the cost to refiners for producing motor fuels, with some of the savings typically passed on to consumers. U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to lower fuel prices, although analysts say presidents ultimately have little influence on pump prices. Fuel demand in the week ended July 4, typically among the periods of highest consumption, was down 2.5% from the same time last year. Analysts said the slowdown was likely due to extreme heat blanketing parts of the country, which may have discouraged some driving. The national average price of gasoline after the Independence Day holiday dipped to $3.14 per gallon, the lowest during summer months in four years, AAA data showed. Average gas prices across the U.S. have not fallen below $3 a gallon since May 2021. Summer is typically the peak season for gasoline consumption in the U.S., but gasoline product supplied, the U.S. Energy Information Administration's proxy for demand, has averaged 9.2 million barrels a day over the past four weeks, down by 1% from the same period last year. More fuel-efficient vehicles on the road and post-pandemic changes in driving patterns - particularly remote working - are expected to permanently reduce U.S. gasoline consumption from its peak of more than 9.3 million bpd in 2018. "As we head toward August, I think gasoline will see additional weakness," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "The national average has a good chance of falling below $3 per gallon in September," he added. That downward momentum could continue, De Haan said, as OPEC's decision to boost crude production by a larger-than-expected 548,000 bpd in August adds more pressure to oil prices. IMPORTS JUMP Imported gasoline flowing into the U.S. has also caused a surge in storage demand. Weekly U.S. gasoline imports peaked in mid-June at 100,700 bpd, the highest in over a year, government data shows, driven by an influx of shipments from Canada and Europe. Imports in June were up around 7% compared to the same period a year ago. In the U.S., demand for tanks to store gasoline has climbed since March, reaching a three-year high in June, according to data from storage broker The Tank Tiger. "If refiners are producing more gasoline, you need a place to park it if it's not being consumed," said Steven Barsamian, chief operating officer at The Tank Tiger. On the U.S. East Coast, which represents nearly a third of total U.S. consumption of refined products and relies heavily on imports to meet that demand, a steady stream of shipments helped pull gasoline prices about 5 cents a gallon under the national average, according to government data. Nigeria's Dangote oil refinery has ramped up production of gasoline that meets U.S. standards, boosting imports, and shipments from the 320,000-bpd Irving Oil refinery in New Brunswick have also landed at the New York Harbor consistently, GasBuddy's De Haan said. With limited pipeline and transportation capacity, the U.S. East Coast market typically gets oversupplied quicker than other markets in the U.S., The Tank Tiger's Barsamian said. An increase in flows on Colonial Pipeline's main gasoline artery, which delivers fuel from the U.S. Gulf Coast to East Coast markets, likely also contributed to larger flows of gasoline to the East Coast. Colonial Pipeline recently informed shippers it will boost capacity on Line 1 by 5% to 7% above typical summer volumes, according to a notice seen by Reuters. A Colonial spokesperson confirmed the pipeline volume increase. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Gas prices $0.45 less per gallon in Georgia than last year, AAA says
The latest gas prices in Georgia remain lower than the year before, and are still going down even compared to the last month. AAA's gas price tracker shows that in Georgia, the state average gas price remained the same, a full five cents lower than in June. Compared to last year, AAA said prices in Georgia were 45 cents less than in 2024. 'Gas prices remain low across the country in many states, providing some relief for drivers; however, with hurricane season in full swing, any significant storms could disrupt supply and lead to higher prices at the pump,' Montrae Waiters, AAA-The Auto Club Group spokeswoman, said in a statement. 'It's a good time for drivers to consider fuel-saving strategies to prepare for potential fluctuations.' [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Delta pilot forced to make 'aggressive maneuver' to avoid mid-air collision with B-52 bomber Blasting, construction to begin this week on I-285/I-20 project could impact traffic State walks back proposal impacting students with special needs and the homebound As for prices at the pump, AAA said Georgia drivers are still paying about $7 less to fill up a 15-gallon tank than a year ago. In Atlanta, gas prices are averaging $2.91 per gallon, the organization said. Here's where AAA said gas was most expensive in the state: Savannah - $3.01 per gallon Hinesville-Fort Stewart - $2.95 per gallon Macon - $2.94 per gallon Here's where the organization said prices were cheapest: Dalton - $2.84 per gallon Catoosa-Dade-Walker - $2.82 per gallon Rome - $2.79 per gallon [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
7 days ago
- CBS News
Gas prices in Michigan decline 12 cents this week
Gas prices in Michigan declined 12 cents this week, with drivers paying an average $3.15 a gallon for regular unleaded gasoline, AAA-the Auto Club reported. That price is 15 cents less than this time last month, and 50 cents less than this time last year. At that price point, motorists will pay an average $47 for a 15-gallon tank of gasoline. The most expensive gas price averages this week are in Ann Arbor ($3.22), Metro Detroit ($3.20) and Jackson ($3.14). The last least expensive gas price averages this week are in Marquette ($3.02), Benton Harbor ($3.06) and Flint ($3.07).
