Slippery weather forecast

December 11, 2002|by TAMELA BAKER

Be especially cautious on bridges and overpasses, which freeze faster than regular roads, he said.

Sgt. Deke Walker of West Virginia State Police in Martinsburg suggested that those who have to be out in icy conditions leave early.

"Give yourself plenty of time and simply be careful," Walker said. "But the best thing you can do is stay home. You never know what you're going to run into."

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has some additional driving tips:

Avoid sudden moves or fast turns.
Avoid quick acceleration or hard braking. Pump brakes on ice unless they're anti-lock.
Reduce speed.

Lewis added, "We always recommend that people listen to their local radio stations" to keep up with current road conditions.

Allegheny Power spokesperson Tara Curtis said crews were prepared for potential power outages.

"Weather is a factor in our business every day, so we have crews ready 24 hours a day," Curtis said.

She encouraged customers to report power outages immediately.

"We want to get to each individual customer," she said.

Curtis warned that repairing lines could take time as icy conditions could make repairing lines difficult - and dangerous - for Allegheny workers. "We appreciate our customers' understanding" in such cases, Curtis said.

And for parents whose children may be home from school and succumb to the temptation to play in the ice and snow, the Johns Hopkins Children's Center offered suggestions for avoiding weather-related injuries:

n Warm up those muscles. Stretch for a few minutes before and after any strenuous activity.
Keep clothes dry. If they get wet, change them.
Dress in adequate clothing, preferably in layers. Don't forget to protect the eyes.
Recognize when children need a rest.
Sledding can cause head injuries in young children; older children and adults risk abdominal injuries and broken bones in addition to bumps and bruises.
Make sure children are supervised. Sledding on roadways or ice or in crowded areas is dangerous.

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