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With the icy weather that hit Pittsburgh this weekend, I thought it was a good time to put up a blog on winter driving safety. Driving during the winter months can be tricky – especially when conditions change quickly, like they did on Sunday morning. And while not every accident is avoidable, there are a number of tips you can follow make your travels are as safe as possible.

Obviously, the best thing to do is avoid driving in bad conditions. When this isn't possible, make sure to observe the following rules:

1. Don't make the mistake of assuming that four-wheel drive and front-wheel drive compensate for dangerous road conditions. Always drive according to the weather outside.

2. Make sure your lights, windshield, windows, and mirrors are clean. Police plan to crack down on people who don't follow this rule – check out this story on the topic.

3. Turn your headlights on so other cars can see you.

4. Reduce your speed.

5. You should leave at least three times the normal amount of space between you and the car in front of you.

6. Break gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels lock up, ease off the brake.

7. Be sure to use low gears to maintain traction, especially in hilly areas.

8. Bridges can be dangerous because they freeze first. With hundreds of them in southwestern Pennsylvania, we have to be especially careful.

9. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers of these vehicles have limited visibility.

If you'd like more safety information, you can check out this previous post on winterizing your car.