Trooper offers list of do’s, don’ts when driving on icy roads

Trooper Vicki Gardner, who has been with the Maine State Police for 16 years, said Thursday that motorists need to be aware constantly that road conditions on the Interstate can change quickly, especially in winter.

Gardner had some advice about what to do should you encounter problems on the Interstate.

Should you hit ice, Gardner said, take your foot off the accelerator and do your best to keep control of the vehicle while allowing it to slow down naturally.

If you go off the road, Gardner said the first thing to do is make sure that you and anyone else in the vehicle are OK and then, if possible, call the state police.

She said don’t try to move the vehicle back onto the road, even if you think it’s possible, without a wrecker. Doing that puts you at risk of driving the vehicle back into the driving lane and potentially into harm’s way. She said wait until a police officer or trooper arrives.