ATLANTA — Georgia State Patrol is sending out extra troopers over the weekend to help people in trouble during this weekend’s winter storm.
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne rode along with Trooper Sgt. Lavarus Dollar on Friday.
He says if you have to be out on icy roads this weekend, slow down below the speed limit and keep a safe distance from other cars.
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Col. Billy Hitchens, Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, says the best way to stay safe is to stay off the roads completely unless you have an emergency.
“If the ice hits, like they’re saying, we’re going to have people either run off in the ditch or actually be involved in a motor vehicle crash, either by losing control or following too close, not being able to stop in time,” he said.
Sgt. Dollar said in his 10 years as a trooper, he’s helped plenty of drivers in trouble.
“When they wind up in a skid, the most important thing to do is let the ABS braking start working by itself, and during that time, you can start steering to the middle of the road,” he said.
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He says many people tend to apply the brakes and panic, which only makes it worse.
“With the bridges and the overpass, you have to use caution because those roads, they tend to ice over very quick,” Sgt. Dollar said. “[It’s] Very important to be careful of the black ice simply because you can’t see it.”
But Col. Hitchens says if you do end up getting on the roads, make sure your car has everything you need, just in case.
“We don’t want to see people that actually slide off the roadway, vehicle get stuck, they don’t have clothing that’s appropriate if your car isn’t able to produce heat,” he said.
Weigh stations will also be open, so big trucks can park and get off the roads.
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