If you are in Florida, southern Alabama and Georgia and the eastern Carolinas, you may smile and ignore this post. Unless you are traveling this weekend. But if you are anywhere else, you might want to read this article posted in Vox.com yesterday.
Alan Black and Thomas Mote at the University of Georgia compared deaths from winter-related travel with those from other weather events. Between 2002 and 2011, there were an average of 842 deaths from winter-related automobile accidents annually. That’s more than the average deaths from lightning strikes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and rip currents combined.
So the one thing you should avoid doing if at all possible in the winter storm that starts to impact our area on Friday is to drive. Grab a book, stock up on bread and milk (and eggs if you like French toast), and be prepared for power outages from ice, wind and snow in some areas. Just don’t take an unnecessary chance on the roads unless you really, really have to be somewhere.
Speaking of which, here are some funny (and true!) responses to Frequently Asked Questions about the winter storm on the East Coast.
