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Show Dept. of Transportation urges drivers to prepare now for safe winter driving and "S", i.e. MS, MS, M-S, M&S, etc. Be sure to keep tire pressure at recommended levels; under-inflating under-inflating your tires increases wear, not traction. Filling your trunk or truck bed with sandbags is not a good way to increase traction either. A small amount of extra traction can be gained by putting extra weight over the rear axle, but most car trunks are well behind the rear axle and adding extra weight behind the axle can reduce overall control by lessening the load on the front wheels. This cuts steering control substantially and increases the risk of a spin-out. It cuts your gas mileage, too. Emergencies can happen when you least expect them so be sure to have safety equipment in your car. You should include booster cables, and brush, sand, rock salt or traction mat, flares, flashlight and tire chains. Remember that having unobstructed unob-structed vision is very important to safe driving. Take the time necessary to clear all windows of snow, ice or fog before starting out. During stormy weather, please give yourself plenty of extra time for getting to your destination. Speed limits are for perfect, dry conditions. On winter's icy roadways, road-ways, half the speed limit may be too fast. For general information any time on current road conditions throughout Utah, motorists can call 532-6000. The Utah Departments of Transportation and Public Safety update the recorded message as conditions change on Utah's major highways. The Utah Department of Transportation Tran-sportation is urging motorists to prepare for the upcoming winter season. Winterizing your car now will give you a headstart on hazardous winter driving. Now is the time to put snow tires on your vehicle. Radial tires are not snow tires unless they have snow tread. But remember, it's unsafe to mix regular snow tires with radials. The driving characteristics of radial tires are different from those of bias-ply or bias-belted tires and mixing types increases the risk of slipping and skidding. Also, "all season" tires do not necessarily qualify as snow tires. To make sure any tire you buy does qualify as a snow tire, just check the sidewall. All tires manufactured since Jan. 1, 1976 will be permanently labled with the words "Mud and Snow" or any contraction using the letters "M" |