Here’s your most important tip for driving on snowy roads in Wheat Ridge, CO: When it’s coming down so hard you can’t see fifty feet in front of you, turn around and go back home if you can.

If you can stay out of the icy, snowy roads, then that’s really for the best, but if that’s not an option, here are some tips:

• Slow down!

This is especially important in limited visibility.

• Give yourself twice as much time to brake.

If you’re one of those people that slams on your brakes right at the stop sign, that’s going to send you skidding out into the intersection on an icy Colorado road.

• Give your car time to warm up.

If you start gunning it the second you turn your key, you’re going to damage frigid, frozen parts that are not ready to be moving just yet. Metal isn’t as hard as it looks, it has a little bit of give to it that makes it flexible and allows it to run safely without fracturing, but it has to warm up for that to work.

• Do not take unnecessary trips.

Do you really need a Mountain Dew and a bag of potato chips right now, or can it wait until the sun comes out? The less time you spend on the road, the less likely you are to get into an accident.

• Pack blankets.

You never know when you’re going to wind up stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. Make sure you have the means to stay warm if the heat goes out.

And of course, make sure that you have adequate insurance. Contact CO Insurance Specialist for free quotes and stay safe.