By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

A morning accident that involved a Wyoming police car has Wyoming Department of Public Safety officials reminding drivers to slow down.

At approximately 7:30 a.m., a Wyoming Police officer was policing a five-car crash on Chicago Driver near the westbound I-196 ramp. As vehicles were slowing down for the crash, one vehicle lost control and struck another vehicle before striking the police vehicle, according to a department press release about the accident. There were minor injuries in the original five-car crash and not injuries in the three-car crash involving the police vehicle.

Lt. Eric Wiler said during the first snowfall, there seems to be a number of crashes as people relearn how to drive in the snow. In fact, stations reporting the weather on Sunday night reminded viewers of being careful on the roads as West Michigan got its first taste of winter.

“We just want to remind people to slow down,” Wiler said. “Make sure they are leaving plenty of room between them and the car in front of them and approach accident scenes with caution.”

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Study, bad weather and sloppy road conditions are a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 deaths every winter. For winter driving, the National Safety Council and AAA recommend the following driving tips:

Avoid using cruise control in wintery conditions

Steer in the direction of a skid so when your wheels regain traction, you don’t have to over correct to stay in your lane.

Accelerate and decelerate slowly.

Increase following distances 8 to 10 seconds.

If possible, don’t stop going uphill.

According to the National Safety Council, if the weather looks iffy, wait out the storm if possible. The council also notes that there are a number of safety features built in on today’s cars. For more tips and what those car features are, click here.