By: Dakota Chase

It is Christmas time again, and everyone’s excited for the shopping, the gifts, and the friends and family events. For Santa and his reindeer to bring everyone presents, there must be snow, which means snow on the roads for drivers to drive in when traveling. A car accident this time of year is no fun; it is cold, costs a lot of money, and puts a damper on the holidays. This year, The Squire has interviewed a student driver, Lilly Darling, and also our very own driving instructor/teacher, Mr. Logue.

Lilly is a senior, a two year driver, and someone who drives to school every day, including in the winter. She spent last winter getting used to driving on the seasonal roads and is continuing to work on her winter driving skills this year as well. Lilly had an unfortunate car accident last winter on snowy roads, where she totaled her car driving home from school. However, after her accident, she learned a lesson that she said will stick with her, explaining, “I am especially cautious over icy spots and slow down ahead of time.” Lilly also has some advice for young drivers facing the winter challenges, “Be cautious; nothing is more important than your safety, so don’t drive recklessly, especially under harsh conditions.” As a new driver, especially one who has experienced an accident, Lilly has also shared that she slows downs more often, does not drive nearly as fast in the winter, and is also more cautious about the deer along the roadways.

The Squire also interviewed Mr. Logue. He is the teacher for the Driver’s Education course here at Eisenhower. Mr. Logue said that the worst driving condition is a fresh coat of snow on the road covering black ice. Most of the time, drivers do not know they are on ice, which makes it more dangerous. One way to avoid this situation is to always keep scanning the road, looking for ice and snow build up. It is also helpful to look out for others on the road and observe what they are doing. Mr. Logue said the most important thing to remember is, “you need to get there safe and so do the other drivers. In order to get there safe, you need to slow down on the snow, ice, and slush covered roads, so build in extra time to your schedule. Keep extra space between you and other vehicles to allow for you to have a longer stopping distance.”

The Squire hopes you drive safe this year and keep in mind the tips from Mr. Logue and Lilly. Just remember to take it slow and take your time; no one will get upset over safe driving. Have a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone here at The Squire.