Here's what's going on.

December 10, 2007

    Well, Old Man Winter has arrived in Vermillion.  This year he came with a vengeance, to boot.  With all the freezing rain and snow we have experienced these last couple of weeks, driving the city streets has been difficult some days.  With the first snow always come accidents, most minor, some severe.  We here at the PD would like to remind everyone that they need to slow down when the streets are snow covered.  We ask for a good reason.

     The distance which it takes the average car to stop increases significantly in snowy conditions.  For instance, on a clean, dry city street, the average car during hard braking will travel 32 ft stopping from 25 mph to 0.  That same car will travel 70 ft braking on a snow covered road.  That’s an increase of 38 ft.  Now if the car were to slow down even 5 mph, it would travel 44 ft while stopping from 20 mph on a snow covered street.  So by slowing down that 5 mph it shaves 26 feet off its stopping distance.  That 26 ft could be the difference between a held breath and an accident.  And, as always, please buckle up.  Simply buckling your seatbelt can mean the difference between missing dinner - and missing your child's graduation.