Spring

Winter

Summer

Autumn

• Neverdrivewhenyouhavebeendrink-ingalcoholicbeverages.

• Neverridewithsomeonewhohasbeendrinking.

• Ifmedicationdirectionsindicateyoushouldnotdriveaftertakingit,don’tdoit.

• Haveagoodattitudewhenyoudrive.Bepatientwithothers.

• Givedrivingyourfullattention.Behindthewheelisnoplacetoread,putonmakeup,ortalkonthecellphone.

• Howaboutthoseeyes?Don’tbevain.Ifyouneedglasses,wearthem.

• Keepyourcarwindowscleaninsideandout.

Feel free to call the Road Condition Report Hotline at:

1-888-275-6636

Or, check the Patrol’s web site at:

www.mshp.dps.mo.gov

Produced by:PublicInformationandEducationDivision

Published by: MissouriStateHighwayPatrol

1510EastElmStreetJeffersonCity,MO65101

573-751-3313V/TDD573-751-3313

email:mshppied@mshp.dps.mo.govwww.mshp.dps.mo.gov

AnInternationallyAccreditedAgencySHP-725D12/2015

• Alwaysdriveongood,properlyinflatedtires.

• Knowandobeyalltrafficlaws.

• Bereadytoadjustyourspeedtobeap-propriateforconstantlychangingdrivingconditions.

Finally,let’sallworktogether,sofewerpeoplewillbecometrafficcrashstatisticsonMissouri’shighways.

issouriisastateoffourseasons andeachseasonhasitsownuniqueroadconditions.Missouridrivingcannotbecategorizedentirelyintospring,summer,autumn,orwinter.Naturesome-timesmixesourfourseasonstogether,andthiscancauseproblemswhenwetravel.

Thisbrochurehasbeenpreparedtogiveyousometipsonhowtohandleourmanyvarieddrivingconditions.

Buckle Up Missouri!

Thoughbeautiful,springistheseasontotrickyou.Don’tletyourweatherguarddown.Let’snotgettooconfident,because...

Inspringwehavewidelyvariedtemperatures.Abridgefloororroad-waycanbecomefrostcoveredquickly,andmeltingsnowdrainingacrossaroadcansoonbeice.

Foglikesspringanditsfickletem-peratures.Theruleisslowdownandgetthoseheadlightson.

Heavyrainscomewithspring,sodoeshydroplaning,softshoul-ders,andflashflooding.Neverdrivethroughfastmovingwatersandal-waysheedsignsthatwarnofflooding.

Springisthebeginningofthefarmingseason.Bigtractorsandwideequipmentwillstarttravelingtheroads.Slowdownandgivethemplentyofroom.

Tornadoesoccurwithfluctuat-ingtemperatures.Payattentiontoweatherbulletins.Springisatimeofrenewal.Missouriwinterishardonman,beast,andourmechanicalfriends.Giveyourcartheattentionitdeserves.

Remember,inMissouri,youmustremoveyourstuddedsnowtiresbe-foreApril1.

Summerisagreattimeofyear,butmoretrafficcrashesoccurdur-ingthisseasonthananyother.That’sbecausemorepeoplearetravelingandhaveafalsesensethatroadsareattheirbest.Let’strytomakesummerourbestdrivingseasonbykeepingafewthingsinmind.

Remember:Thereisaslipperyfilmontheroadwhenitstartsraining.Slowdown!Whenitrainsyourhead-lightsarerequiredbylawtobeonwithyourwipers.

Kidsareoutofschoolforthesum-mer.Watchoutforthem.Theysome-timesusepoorjudgmentaspedestri-ansandbicyclists.

Motorcyclesareoutthistimeofyear,sokeepasharpeyeoutforthem.Theyareeasytooverlook.

Don’tspoilyourvacationbynotbeingprepared.Makesureyouandyourvehiclearereadyforthemilesahead.Knowyourroute.Securelug-gageproperly.Takefrequentbreakstostayalertandsafe.

Thesceneryisgreat,butdon’tforgettowatchtheroad.

Missouribuildsandrepairsitsroadsinthesummertime,sopaycloseattentionto,andheed,constructionsignsandworkmen.

Give‘emabrake!

AutumnistheseasonMissouriputsonitsprettiestface.We’retiredofthesummerheat,soit’sgoodtohaveachange.But,wehavetostayontopofMissouri’sever-changingroadandweatherconditions.

Thosebeautifulleaveswillfall,sowatchforthemastheypileupontheroad.Theycreateaslickspotwhentheygetwet.

Thefarmersaretryingtogettheircropsoutofthefields.Continuetobepatientwhentheirmachineryisontheroad.

Duetochangingtemperatures,be-wareoffrostonbridgefloors.

Thekidsarebackinschool.Re-member,onatwo-laneroadwayifaschoolbusisstoppeddisplayingwarn-ingsignalsandiseitherloadingorun-loadingchildren,youmuststopwhenbothmeetingandfollowingthebus.However,itisonlynecessarytostoponafour-lanehighwaywhenfollowingthebus.

DeerareplentifulinMissouriandonecanrunsuddenlyinfrontofyourcar.Manytimesitisbesttosteerstraightandslowdowninsteadofswervingrightorlefttoavoidacolli-sion.

It’stimetogetthecarreadyforwinter.Thatcoldandsnowyseasonwillsoonbehere.

November1isthedateyoucanputonyourstuddedsnowtiresinMissouri.

WinterinMissouricanbeveryharshanddangerous,butthedis-comfortsanddifficultiesitbringscanbeminimizedifwedosomecarefulplanningandusecommonsense.

Allowyourselfextratravelingtimeaswinterdemandsweslowdown.Remembertogiveyourcarachancetowarmupbeforeyoubeginyourjourney.Clearallitswindowsofthatpeskyfrost,snow,andice.

Remembertouseyourhead-lightsonthoselong,cold,graydaysofwinter.Bettertobeseenthanhurt.

Keepaboxofemergencyequip-mentinthetrunkofyourcartobeusedifyoubecomestrandedonacold,lonely,desertedroad.Someoftheequipmentshouldincludeflares,blankets,flashlight,gloves,tools,andanythingelsethatmighthelpyouinanemergency.

Alwayskeepyourfueltankatleasthalffull.

Neverusecruisecontrolwhenroadsareslick.

Isyourcarreadyforwinter?

Here’s a good checklist:anti-freeze,wiperblades,hoses,belts,battery,heater,exhaust,defrost-er,windshieldwasher,tires,etc.Where’stheicescraper?