Driving Missouri’s Four Seasons

Overview

Missouri is a state of four seasons and each season has its own unique road conditions. Missouri driving cannot be categorized entirely into spring, summer, autumn, or winter. Nature sometimes mixes our four seasons together, and this can cause problems when we travel. This brochure has been prepared to give you some tips on how to handle our many varied driving conditions.

Spring

Though beautiful, spring is the season to trick you. Don’t let your weather guard down. Let’s not get too confident, because…

• In spring we have widely varied temperatures. A bridge floor or roadway can become frost covered quickly, and melting snow draining across a road can soon be ice.
• Fog likes spring and its fickle temperatures. The rule is slow down and get those headlights on.
• Heavy rains come with spring, so does hydroplaning, soft shoulders, and flash flooding. Never drive through fast moving waters and always heed signs that warn of flooding.
• Spring is the beginning of the farming season. Big tractors and wide equipment will start traveling the roads. Slow down and give them plenty of room.
• Tornadoes occur with fluctuating temperatures. Pay attention to weather bulletins.
• Spring is a time of renewal. Missouri winter is hard on man, beast, and our mechanical friends. Give your car the attention it deserves.
• Remember, in Missouri, you must remove your studded snow tires before April 1.

Summer

Summer is a great time of year, but more traffic crashes occur during this season than any other. That’s because more people are traveling and have a false sense that roads are at their best. Let’s try to make summer our best driving season by keeping a few things in mind.

• There is a slippery film on the road when it starts raining. Slow down! When it rains your headlights are required by law to be on with your wipers.
• Kids are out of school for the summer. Watch out for them. They sometimes use poor judgment as pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Motorcycles are out this time of year, so keep a sharp eye out for them. They are easy to overlook.
• Don’t spoil your vacation by not being prepared. Make sure you and your vehicle are ready for the miles ahead. Know your route. Secure luggage properly. Take frequent breaks to stay alert and safe.
• The scenery is great, but don’t forget to watch the road.
• Missouri builds and repairs its roads in the summertime, so pay close attention to, and heed, construction signs and workers. Give ’em a brake!

Autumn

Autumn is the season Missouri puts on its prettiest face. We’re tired of the summer heat, so it’s good to have a change. But, we have to stay on top of Missouri’s ever-changing road and weather conditions.

• Those beautiful leaves will fall, so watch for them as they pile up on the road. They create a slick spot when they get wet.
• The farmers are trying to get their crops out of the fields. Continue to be patient when their machinery is on the road.
• Due to changing temperatures, beware of frost on bridge floors.
• The kids are back in school. Remember, on a two-lane roadway if a school bus is stopped displaying warning signals and is either loading or unloading children, you must stop when both meeting and following the bus. However, it is only necessary to stop on a four-lane highway when following the bus.
• Deer are plentiful in Missouri and one can run suddenly in front of your car. Many times it is best to steer straight and slow down instead of swerving right or left to avoid a collision.
• It’s time to get the car ready for winter. That cold and snowy season will soon be here.
• November 1 is the date you can put on your studded snow tires in Missouri.

Winter

Winter in Missouri can be very harsh and dangerous, but the discomforts and difficulties it brings can be minimized if we do some careful planning and use common sense.

• Allow yourself extra traveling time as winter demands we slow down. Remember to give your car a chance to warm up before you begin your journey. Clear all its windows of frost, snow, and ice.
• Remember to use your headlights on those long, cold, gray days of winter. Better to be seen than hurt.
• Keep a box of emergency equipment in the trunk of your car to be used if you become stranded on a cold, lonely, deserted road. Some of the equipment should include flares, blankets, flashlight, gloves, tools, and anything else that might help you in an emergency.
• Always keep your fuel tank at least half full.
• Never use cruise control when roads are slick.
• Is your car ready for winter? Here’s a good checklist: antifreeze, wiper blades, hoses, belts, battery, heater, exhaust, defroster, windshield washer, tires, etc.

All Seasons

• Never drive when you have been drinking alcoholic beverages.
• Never ride with someone who has been drinking.
• If medication directions indicate you should not drive after taking it, don’t do it.
• Have a good attitude when you drive. Be patient with others.
• Give driving your full attention. Behind the wheel is no place to read, put on makeup, or talk on the cell phone.
• How about those eyes? Don’t be vain. If you need glasses, wear them.
• Keep your car windows clean inside and out.
• Always drive on good, properly inflated tires.
• Know and obey all traffic laws.
• Be ready to adjust your speed to be appropriate for constantly changing driving conditions.

Road Conditions