Snow and Ice Impacts Student Drivers
Arrowhead South Campus parking lot where sophomore students park their cars.
On Monday, January 30th, a flurry of snow visited Hartland, WI, coating the ground with a slick layer of snow and ice. In the past, ice and snow storms have caused driving issues and some accidents. A 23-year-old woman died in a rollover crash on Highway 16, according to Fox 6 News. According to Arrowhead sophomore student drivers Emily Burant and Celia Panther, when the roads are slick and not salted, it is dangerous.
“Driving in bad weather is scary because the conditions make it difficult to see and stay on the road. I always slow down my speed and check my surroundings when approaching what looks like a dangerous driving situation,” says Burant.
According to Burant, the road are safe when driving to and from school because Hartland does a good job of salting the roads leading to the school.
Burant says it is important that the roads are salted because some students take corners too sharp when coming into school and could slip easily if the roads are bad. Burant also says it is important to know your car because if you don’t it may be hard to properly handle the bad weather.
“I make sure my windshield wipers are functioning properly and that my windows are clear of ice or snow before I start driving. It is important to take the time to make sure your windows are clear of ice and snow because you want to have full vision out every window when driving,” says Burant.
According to Panther, another dangerous problem when driving is looking out for deer. According to the North American Whitetail website, Wisconsin has the 10th highest deer population in the United States. Panther says it is scary encountering a deer because they can jump out at any second.
“Driving can always be very dangerous because in a blink of an eye everything can change. I always stay calm and collected in most of the dangerous situations I encounter. I had a close encounter with a deer when it ran right in front of me, but it was good that I had my eyes on the road,” says Panther.
Other dangers of the road include construction, small animals, and busy intersections. According to Burant, it is helpful to drive with other people who know what they’re doing and are careful drivers. Driving around wreckless drivers cannot only be dangerous for themselves but also put others in danger as well, says Burant.
“I think that I am prepared and so are other students in our grade because we have practiced driving before and drive a lot of places so we are getting more experienced,” says Panther.
