With icy forecast, here’s why it’s actually dangerous to drive in winter weather in SC
There’s a slight chance of snow this weekend from Columbia up to Greenville, and y’all know what that means!
Don’t leave home. It’s cold outside. This is South Carolina. It doesn’t get “cold” here.
OK. Well, it does get cold, and it is safe to leave the house.
However, it’s not the best idea to go out on a joyride in a sports car when it’s really cold and there might be precipitation. It’s also not super safe to go driving at all, for those who can avoid it. (Maybe just stay at home and play in the snow for the five seconds that it’ll be falling?)
Case in point: The ice-induced 27-hour shutdown of Interstate 95 in Virginia that stranded hundreds of motorists, including U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine. We don’t want that to be us.
South Carolina is a much warmer place than Virginia, and its drivers are even less equipped to handle inclement cold weather, state officials say.
The best option is to avoid driving altogether once the cold front, rain and (maybe) snow arrives this weekend. Though for some, that isn’t a possibility.
Need to head somewhere in the next few days? Here are some tips from South Carolina Highway Patrol.
- Slow down. With ice on the road, it’s easy to lose control or end up needing to stop quickly (like if a crash is ahead). Stopping is easier to do if the car isn’t going 75 miles per hour.
- Make sure the car is topped off with gas before heading out, even if it’s not a long drive. Plenty of people stuck on I-95 in Virginia were just trying to commute home.
- Have supplies: cell phone charger, blanket!, bottles of water and a few snacks.
- Check weather apps before heading out. Maybe there isn’t freezing rain at your house, but there might be some along the way.
- Avoid bridges when possible. They accumulate snow and ice first.
- Watch out for black ice, otherwise known as when there is an (often) invisible layer ice on the road. Because it can’t easily be seen, black ice is one of the many reasons it’s important to slow down when driving during winter weather.
South Carolina’s roads and the Department of Transportation are equipped to handle chilly inclement weather. But one of the biggest dilemmas drivers face in the state is how easy it is to transition from one climate to the next, Highway Patrol Master Trooper David Jones said.
In Columbia, it might be 42 degrees out and dry — weather that’s perfectly safe for driving. But if you’re heading upstate, or to the mountains, within an hour or two drivers can go from dry roads to snowy ones. Translation: Within an hour or two drivers can go from safe roads to dangerous ones.
“It may be sunny on the coast, but it’s sleeting as snow and ice in the mountain area, so conditions can change drastically,” Jones said. “Just because you’re in Columbia and it’s nice, if you drive an hour north, you may experience something totally different.”
And yes, Jones has heard it before: You grew up driving in snow! You’re a pro at this.
Snow is very different than ice. South Carolina’s warmer climate means we more often get ice, which creates slick and incredibly dangerous roads compared to the gritty snow-covered streets (that still provide good traction) drivers from, well, places with snow might be used to, Jones said.
“Whenever we see accumulation then freezing overnight, ice forms. It makes for a dangerous driving experience,” Jones said. “So whenever we see a winter weather event, we see our call volume increase drastically. We respond to a lot more collisions than we ordinarily would. So our message there is if you don’t have to be out on the roadways, save yourself the trouble to stay home.”
What if you end up in a bad spot? Jones said Highway Patrol will be out in full force this weekend to help drivers. If they can’t help you get going immediately, they’ll let you stay warm in the patrol car until further assistance arrives.
For those who have to drive, keep an eye out for people working on de-icing the roads. The Department of Transportation has loads of resources for helping melt ice on roads and keeping them from freezing. This week, they’ll be out in full force working to keep the state’s roads safe. Slow down to make sure they can do their work safely. Keep in mind that salt trucks and snow plows tend to move pretty slowly, so they can cover the entire roadway.
“The safest solution is for drivers to stay off the roads if at all possible. If you must drive, slow down and watch for crews performing de-icing and plowing operations,” Department of Transportation Secretary Christy Hall said in a statement.
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 10:28 AM with the headline "With icy forecast, here’s why it’s actually dangerous to drive in winter weather in SC."
