GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.- Dangerous driving conditions are leading to several emergency calls this week.
It’s a busy time of year for law enforcement.
This cold, windy weather doesn't seem to be letting up and neither do the troubles out on the roadways.
FOX 17 went out with the Grand Rapids Police Department Tuesday as they tackled the weather, roads and all the issues that come along with it.
“People get a little impatient in the winter time after they’ve been slowed up all day,” Officer Rich Atha said.
Atha is an 18-year veteran with the Grand Rapids Police Department and says he’s seen it all.
“It takes them (drivers) about a month to acclimate themselves all over again,” he said.
His advice is to leave 30 extra minutes of travel time in these blustery conditions.
“It's better to get there early, than not at all,” he said.
If you do need assistance, whether it's police or a tow truck, expect to wait. In a rear wheel drive 2000 Crown Victoria, Atha’s facing the same struggles out on the roads.
“If your vehicle does get stuck in a snow bank or does slide off the road such as the car we`re going to take a look at here, don’t get out of it and walk off,” he said.
Call police and let them know what happened so they aren’t out looking for the driver of the abandoned car.
“Getting over is a safety concern not only for us, but for the citizen that’s been in an accident or slid off the road,”Atha said.
And as we all begin to shiver, realizing mother nature isn’t going to let up any time soon, when the roads are this bad try to avoid them all together.
“You can’t just tell people to stay home,” Atha said. “It’s advised to stay home, if you don’t have to go anywhere stay home, relax, enjoy the warmth.”
Police also recommend keeping an extra blanket, warm coat and snacks in your car which is a precaution in these serious road conditions because response times and tow trucks are slowed down so much right now.
