It’s 60 Degrees!! Good Time to Prepare for Ice/Snow Still to Come in Missouri

By The Cagle Law Firm | January 8, 2026 | Car Accidents, Featured, Inattentiveness, News

Download our handy phone app- Injury Attorney that lays out steps and resources should you be in a car accident.  Today as we top 60 degree, it is good time to think ahead and plan for the snow and ice yet to come.

While we had a little taste of winter weather in November.  We are in the midst of a Midwest winter which means we have more snow and ice coming.  While we know the Midwest winters are difficult for our roadway travel, sometimes we neglect to prepare our vehicles and our mindset for said weather.  We all get busy and sometimes prepping your vehicle for winter weather slips. And, we don’t really think about proactive ways to drive in the inclement weather until we are headed home on our commute with snow and ice falling.  Naturally, wintery mix on our roadways makes us all a little anxious while driving.

Prepping your vehicle is one step to keep you safe on the roadways for potential bad weather. Another way to prepare yourself is watch weather forecasts and remind ourselves of the safest ways to drive in winter weather.

Preparing Your Vehicle

As it is 60 degrees today and weather looks pretty good for the next week, it is a great time to prepare your car for the upcoming winter weather:

• Focus on your tires.  Examine the tread on your tires or consider snow tires.  Making sure you have good tread on your tires will make maneuvering on snow and ice better
• Keep your gas tank full
• Top Fluids:  Be sure that you have adequate anti-freeze and your winter washer fluid levels are full.
• Equipment in Good Working Order: Items like your battery, lights, brakes and wipers all need to be in top condition and good repair.
• Emergency Kit: An emergency kit is handy and essential if you have roadside trouble or your vehicle gets stuck in the snow.  Those items should include the following:
  • Blanket
  • Food
  • Water, flashlight, jumper cables and traction aids/kitty litter
  • Charged cell phone

Winter Weather Driving Tips

There were 320 fatal traffic crashes and an estimated 22,293 injury crashes that occurred when there was snow/sleet conditions at the time of the crash in 2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  While we all probably know the things to do, it is usually good to have a reminder to avoid motor vehicle accidents.  In 2023, there were an estimated 101,390 police reported traffic crashes with snow/sleet conditions. Below are helpful driving tips according to road safety experts:

• First and foremost–if you do not absolutely NEED to be on the road during inclement weather, then stay off the roadway.  Time works on your side as it gives road crews a chance to clear the roads and de-ice.
• SLOW DOWN.  If you live in the greater St Louis area, you are often stunned at the rate of speed that some will assume on the roadway.  Slowing down and being patient is the best thing to do because it allows you to be in better control of your vehicle.
• Increase your following distance on the road so you have time to stop
• Don’t crowd a snow plow or travel beside the snow truck. Snow plows travel slowly, make wide turns, stop often, overlap lanes and exit the road frequently. It seems almost yearly, we have a snow plow or two hit by motorists which is negative two-fold.  It results in possible inquires and it often disables the snow plow for the rest of the day if not weeks.

What to Do in an Emergency

If you are stopped or stalled in wintery weather, stay focused on yourself and your passengers, your car and surroundings.  The are several concerns including freezing temperatures, carbon monoxide poisonings and other vehicles hitting your car.

• Stay in your car and don’t overexert yourself
• Let your car be seen. Put bright markers on the antenna or windows and keep the interior dome light on (You may want to include yellow flags in your emergency kit)
• Be mindful of carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure your exhaust pipe is clear of any snow and run your car only sporadically–just long enough to stay warm. Don’t run your vehicle for long periods of time with the windows up or in an enclosed space.
• Call roadside service.  When the weather is bad, often it is a wait for roadside service.  If you are stuck on the roadway, the emergency kit is good to have around. Obviously, if you are headed out into winter weather, be sure that you layer your clothing.  In other words, don’t think that just because you are running a short errand, you don’t need to bundle up.  When you are unprepared, it never fails to find you in a difficult spot.

What to Do Should You Be Involved in a Motor Vehicle Collision

The steps after a crash in inclement weather is very similar to a crash in any type of weather.

• Call 911.  If someone is hurt, getting an ambulance to your location may be life-saving.  Additionally, law enforcement will assist to avoid secondary crashes. Importantly, law enforcement will do an incident report which you will need before dealing with any insurance company.
• Gather Information.  Again, in inclement weather, you want to be sure that you can do this safely.  Standing on the side of the road or in the road frequently results in pedestrians being struck.
• Seek Medical Help. If you have pain, seek medical help immediately. Maybe you don’t think that you need an ambulance.  You need to weigh the facts of the scenario.  If your car is disabled and the weather is bad, an ambulance may be the most efficient way to ensure that you get medical help within a few hours.  Again, assessing the situation is key
• Seek Medical Help Later.  If you are pretty sure you do not need to go directly to the ER, monitor your physical condition in the hours after the crash.  If you develop pain, seek medical help.   Out of thousands of clients, we can say that we have never talked to a car crash victim who said they regretted getting medical help.  We cannot think of anyone that has actually said they regretted going to the ER in an ambulance. The opposite is true.  Often, an injured person will say they regretted not taking the ambulance because they thought it would be too costly. Upon reflection, thy wish they had.
• Call a skilled motor vehicle accident attorney.  Our attorneys offer free consultations seven days a week.  While you may not end up needing to hire our firm, we are happy to give you free information to help protect yourself.

At The Cagle Law Firm, we know that serious car crashes can occur in seconds to the most safe drivers.  Having a plan in place to know the steps to take after a crash can decrease your stress.  Car crashes are traumatic and stressful.  Download our free Injury Attorney app that provides steps and resources to help you though the initial first few minutes after a crash.

Call us seven days a week toll free 1.800.685.3302 or locally 314.276.1681

About The Author

The Cagle Law Firm

View all posts by The Cagle Law Firm →