A somewhat disproportionate share of vehicle crashes happen in cold-weather months in Michigan.

While January, February, March, November, and December account for about 41% of the days of the year, about 45% of Michigan traffic crashes happened in those months last year, according to the most recent Michigan State Police data available. November saw more crashes than any other month last year, with 32,560 crashes, according to the data.

Thankfully, fewer fatal crashes happen in cold-weather months, likely because traffic tends to move slower in ice and snow, meaning the crashes aren’t as severe. The cold-weather months accounted for 35% of fatal crashes last year. June saw the most fatal crashes, with 114 such wrecks.

Still, the numbers paint an obvious picture: To avoid wrecking your car at the least and losing your life or killing someone else at the worst, it’s important to take extra precautions when driving during icy, snowy months.

News staff writer Temi Fadayomi reached out to the Alpena police chief and Alpena County sheriff to find out what kind of advice they had for drivers this time of year.

They told him drivers need to do the following:

∫ Slow down. It takes longer to stop on icy or snowy roads. The faster you’re driving, the longer it takes you to stop. So ease off the gas when the roads are bad.

∫ Leave extra space. On snowy and icy roads, your vehicle will travel farther after you hit the brakes as it slides on the slippery roadway. If you’re following too close to the vehicle in front of you, your vehicle may not stop before it collides with that vehicle. So slow down and back off, leaving plenty of room for sudden stops.

∫ Turn your headlights on. Snow can make it more difficult for you to see and for other motorists to see you, even in the daytime. So turn your headlights on when visibility gets low.

With a little extra precaution, you can protect yourself and others in these wintry months.

So slow down, give extra space, and keep your lights on.

Stay safe out there, Northeast Michigan.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)