Safety corner: walking, driving in the cold Published Feb. 3, 2011 By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Gavidia 2nd Bomb Wing Safety Office BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- With the unusual winter weather hitting Barksdale, home of Air Force Global Strike Command, the 2nd Bomb Wing Safety Office has some safety tips to keep in mind when walking or driving in bad conditions. Walking on ice is tricky at best, even for people who live in areas that see a lot of ice and snow. Many people can potentially get injured by slipping and falling. Injuries from falls can be extremely serious and even deadly. Safety experts say it's not uncommon to see more injuries from falls than from auto accidents after a winter storm. So with that in mind, here are some tips on how to safely walk on ice and snow: In cold temperatures, approach with caution and assume that all wet, dark areas on pavements are slippery and icy. During bad weather, avoid boots or shoes with smooth soles and heels. Instead, wear shoes or boots that provide traction on snow and ice; boots made of non-slip rubber or neoprene with grooved soles are best. Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles; use the vehicle for support. Keep your hands out of your pockets while walking; it decreases your center of gravity and balance. Also, you can help break your fall with your hands free if you do start to slip. Watch where you are stepping and go s-l-o-w-l-y. Take short steps or shuffle your feet when walking. If you fall, try to avoid landing on your knees, wrists or back. Try to fall on a fleshy part of your body such as your side. When driving in inclement weather, bridges, overpasses, stop signs and intersections can be especially dangerous. Black ice forms on bridges and overpasses first because air can circulate both above and below the surface of the elevated roadway, causing the bridge pavement temperature to drop more rapidly. They call it black ice because it seems to blend into the pavement. Road warning signs with the advisory "Bridge may be icy" indicate potentially dangerous roadways above bridge structures. You should always try to avoid traveling in these conditions, but if you absolutely have to, here are some tips to use while driving. Keep your windshield clear of ice, snow, dirt and anything else that can prevent you from seeing out of it properly. Use an ice scraper to scrape the ice from the windshield of your car before starting the vehicle. If you use your windshield wipers to get ice off the windshield, you could ruin them. Check your tire tread--worn tread causes accidents in any conditions and will ensure you lack traction when it's needed on black ice. You always want to take precautions; leave plenty of distance between you and the car in front of you. If you are driving and see cars suddenly swerve for no apparent reason, black ice is a likely cause. Be especially careful at stop signs and intersections. Travel slowly; don't try to speed during icy weather as this will take away any control you might have had on the black ice. An important thing to remember is to never drive in potentially icy conditions with your cruise control active. The next time Barksdale receives brutal winter weather, keep these tips in mind to minimize the chance of injury or death.