How to navigate icy roads as storm heads for Portland metro area

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Below-freezing temperatures means driving around the Portland metro area could get dicey at times.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said if you can get to your holiday destination before the ice storm hits that’s ideal because they say ice is the most dangerous road condition. They say your best bet is to avoid roads completely once they start to freeze.

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“I think it’s really important to just stay alert of your weather advisories and make sure you’re staying alert on that,” Patty Robleto said. “If they are saying that they do not recommend to drive, we recommend stay at home, be safe.”

Robleto is a driving instructor at Oregon Elite Driving School and said if you have to drive, there are a few things you can do to get to your destination safely.

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“It’s really important to just really keep a safer distance, so maybe keep more of a distance between the car in front of you, drive at a reduced speed. Remember when you’re turning, make your turns at a slower speed” she said.

ODOT suggests keeping your following distance between five and six seconds in case you need to stop. That means if you were to stop it would take five or six seconds for your car to get to where they are if you didn’t hit the brakes.

SEE ALSO: How should you prepare your car or truck for Oregon’s winter storm?

If you do lose control and start sliding on the ice, don’t panic.

“Just make sure you don’t slam on the brakes, gently press the brakes and release. try to grip your steering wheel firmly and steer to the direction you’re wanting to go,” Robleto said.

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ODOT said it’s important to know the conditions on your route before you drive and you can do that by looking at TripCheck on their website.

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