With winter weather beginning to invade the Flathead Valley, the Kalispell Fire Department reminds people to pay careful attention to their driving.

The department has issued a list of tips to help keep motorists safe on winter roadways:

v Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you. A stopping distance of 8 to 10 seconds is recommended for icy roads.

v Brake gently to avoid skidding. Understand your vehicle’s braking systems and how they operate on different road conditions and terrain.

v Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.

v Keep your lights and windshield clean.

v Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.

v Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.

v Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways such as bridges.

v Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.

v Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.  

v Ensure that all of your vehicles mechanical functions work properly and that you have appropriate tires for winter use.