Sheriff Keith Nygren would like to remind all residents of McHenry County to take all necessary and appropriate precautions on our roadways, especially during this winter season. Here are a few suggestions the McHenry County Sheriff's Office has to help you drive safely.
Please SLOW DOWN; drive at slower pace as you may come across unsafe road conditions, reduced visibility, or vehicles stalled in the road.
Please be aware of other drivers on the roadway, please use defensive driving tactics.
Allow extra distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. Also allow extra distance for stopping.
Apply the brakes slowly.
Watch out for blowing or drifting snow on the roadways. This occurs especially in rural areas.
Black ice can appear at anytime and anywhere, especially at intersections.
If heavy snow is falling or is predicted, please do NOT be on the roads if you do not need to drive.
While 4 wheel drive vehicles may be of some assistance on wintry roads, they do not brake any better than two wheel drive vehicles. Caution and extra braking distance is very much still needed.
Take emergency supplies with you including cellular phones, extra warm clothing, shovel, etc.
As always yield to emergency vehicles and assist those that may need your assistance.
And please give the snow plow drivers room to work. Do not tailgate a snow plow truck.
Through education and enforcement, we have lowered the number of injury traffic crashes on McHenry County roads. We want to keep this trend going. With everyone's help we can do it. Sheriff Nygren thanks you for doing your part in keeping everyone safe on our roadways.
Molly J
