New Mexico’s blizzard driving safety tips from the National Weather Service
The National Weather Service is reminding New Mexico drivers about safety steps to take when caught in a blizzard, as colder weather brings near-blizzard-like conditions to parts of the state. The service defines a blizzard as a combination of snow and wind that reduces visibility, conditions that can lead to car crashes, frozen pipes and power outages.
According to the National Weather Service, a blizzard requires winds at or over 35 miles per hour, visibility at less than one-quarter of a mile, and a duration of three or more hours. Severe cold and heavy snowfall are not required; wind can pick up snow already on the ground to create the lack of visibility that defines a blizzard.
In New Mexico, the northeast plains and northeast highlands are the most blizzard-prone areas, the service said.
The National Weather Service offered the following driving tips:
- Wear your seatbelt to keep everyone in the vehicle safe if a crash occurs.
- Take it slow on snow and ice to avoid crashing into other cars or objects.
- Increase your following distance and stay far back from other cars in case your tires slip while stopping.
- Avoid using cruise control on slick roads, which can reduce control if tires begin to skid or slip.
- Stop your car if visibility gets bad, pull over and wait out the storm, turn off your tail and brake lights so other cars do not mistakenly follow you, and put on your parking brake.
- Stay in your car, run the motor for about 10 minutes each hour to stay warm, and open the window a bit each time the motor runs to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Be visible to rescuers by turning on the dome light when running the engine and tying a brightly-colored cloth to the outside of the car.
