COLORADO STATE PATROL - As we gear up for another winter driving season, motorists on mountain grades need to remember to gear down. Braking unnecessarily can cause your vehicle to slide with no ability to steer or control it. Gearing down keeps your vehicle's tires rotating, which gives you traction and keeps you in control while still slowing the vehicle on downgrades.

The good news is that Colorado is cyclical and for those of you who enjoy milder temperatures and driving conditions, these conditions are temporary. Right now, however, everyone who drives the mountain corridor should be preparing.

Take a minute to ensure there are warm blankets and water and snacks in the trunk. Check your tires for a snowflake emblem, “M+S” for mud and snow, or at very least 3/16 of an inch of tread depth. Grab that quarter in your pocket that you've been holding onto for the next time you need to use a payphone, and turn ol' George upside down. If the top of his forehead disappears into your tread, you meet the legal required depth. Top off that windshield wiper fluid reservoir and check the weather before you go. 

If you find yourself stuck behind an endless line of taillights, you will be glad you planned ahead and brought those snacks. Too often in the high country motorists are stuck with no way out, by no fault of their own. When they are unprepared they cause an additional drain on resources to rescue them -- not to mention increase their own anxiety of experiencing a helpless situation for themselves and their passengers.

If we all prepare and ensure our vehicles are mechanically sound, slow down, and respect the weather, and gear down instead of braking, we can help keep the road open and all motorists moving.