At least one-third of University of Wyoming students are out-of-state, or international enrollments, and are often unprepared for Wyoming winters. In hopes of promoting safety for travel in Laramie and across the Cowboy State, here are some winter safety tips for the road.
“First and foremost, always check the road conditions,” Alexis Eagle, a Criminal Justice major, said. “In Wyoming, it isn’t just about the snow, it’s also the wind.”
While this may seem like common practice to a Wyomingite, navigation to and through the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) website can be overwhelming.
Even after an investigation into road conditions, newcomers may be unfamiliar with how to drive on black ice.
Despite being a Wyoming native, Eagle learned her best tip for maneuvering a vehicle on ice from her time at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Law Enforcement Academy.
“As a part of training, they put us [trainees] in vehicles on an obstacle course,” Eagle said. “The exercise not only taught us how to handle the ice as is, but were taught in case that patrol car ever needed to be involved in a pursuit in those same [winter] conditions.”
While driving, hands are naturally placed at 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock. However, when approaching a sharp turn in icy conditions the idea is not to adjust the hands separately from 5 o’clock to 10 o’clock position – which would essentially replicate a jerk motion on the wheel.
Instead, the idea is to place the hands together and shuffle them a quarter-inch at a time to maintain control of the front wheels and prevent fishtailing.
While Wyomingites are accustomed to the cold weather, learning to dress appropriately or travel in icy conditions is a challenge for any new arrival to the Equality State.
“When you first encounter snow, you might not understand if you have the right tires or how the car moves,” Briana Agenbroad, a Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and Management major, said. “It’s different for every kind of snow, and that is something you just have to gain experience with.”
Agenbroad is originally from California and notes that her first time seeing snow at the age of 21 has been a motivator for both her studies and travels.
“When I first moved to Alaska, I didn’t know what base layers were,” Agenbroad said. “That was something normal for winter state natives. I had to find someone I was comfortable with to ask for advice.”
Agenbroad also notes that the internet is a good place to do winter preparation research, but still recommends having a ‘winter kit’ in the vehicle.
For her, this includes a sleeping bag, an old camping stove, and a battery pack to charge phones or other devices in the case of an emergency.
Non-perishable food items are also recommended, as some winter conditions cause prolonged road closure and delay emergency services, and water.
Water is not only essential for survival but can be used as a temporary replacement for antifreeze, typically lasting for a distance of about 15 miles.
“Wyoming travel is interesting because everything is so spread out it feels very remote, but we are lucky since people here are so dependent on travel. Even if you get stranded, you won’t be alone for long,” Agenbroad said.
Along with these tips, it’s important to drive during the heat of the day, typically between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. This not only ensures that WYDOT has been given the opportunity to deploy plow trucks, but that the sunlight has reduced the snow and ice to more manageable conditions.
For more information about winter road conditions in Laramie, click here.
