Watch out for Wintry Weather

With winter weather on the way, remember to drive to the conditions.

With heavy rain, ice and sometimes snow a feature of winter, the Dunedin City Council is reminding people to be particularly careful when driving, cycling or walking to work or school.

DCC Roading Maintenance Engineer Peter Standring says the DCC and its contractors do their best to keep the main arterial routes clear, as well as keeping people well informed about the city’s road conditions.

“We are here to help the public to make travel decisions, but we can’t make those decisions for them.”

Road conditions are updated regularly and people are encouraged to visit www.dunedin.govt.nz/road-conditions for the most up-to-date information. This includes any state highway closures that affect traffic around the wider DCC area. People can also look at the Highgate web cam and others around the city.

Mr Standring says even if roads remain open, motorists need to be aware bad weather may mean delays or a slower trip.

If Dunedin gets snow to low levels, visit the DCC’s home page, www.dunedin.govt.nz, to access useful details such as whether buses are running, if libraries and other facilities are open, and whether your rubbish will be collected.

Mr Standring says people should check with their employer to see what their work policy is for snow days.

When driving on a frosty morning, remember the hardest frosts tend to arrive at daybreak.

Make sure you de-ice and de-mist the windscreen and other windows before you start your journey and allow more time to get to your destination.

Drive slowly and use your headlights. In wet, icy or snowy weather, leave a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in front. Try to use main roads, which are more likely to be gritted or treated with calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), which both de-ices and prevents ice forming. Motorists need to be particularly cautious on suburban roads.

If you are cycling, ensure your lights are working and that you are wearing high visibility clothing. If you are walking, high visibility clothing is also a good idea to ensure you are seen when crossing roads. Footpaths are not gritted or treated with CMA so be particularly careful.

For winter driving tips - www.dunedin.govt.nz/winter-driving.

A link to South Island state highway conditions – http://www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/current-conditions/highway-info/road/8373/south-island.html.

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