ST. CLOUD -- With snow starting to appear in the forecast and temperatures starting to drop, public safety officials are reminding you to brush up on your winter driving skills.

Larry Nadeau is the Interim Director at the Minnesota Highway Safety Center in St. Cloud. He says the first thing we need to remember is give ourselves more time to get to our destination.  That includes increasing our following distance so we have time to stop our vehicles if driving conditions are slippery.

Other tips include keeping your windows free of snow and ice, keeping your vision as much as a quarter-mile down the road to see potential hazards happening and steering your car in the direction you want it to go in the event of a skid.

Nadeau also says most cars have anti-lock brakes so you don't need to pump your brakes to stop, but rather apply firm, even pressure on the brakes.

It's also a good idea to remind inexperienced drivers of these tips before they head out on the roads this winter.

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