February 3, 2011 - The best way to avoid traffic accidents on icy roads in coming days? Stay home; don't go there.

But, if you MUST travel in icy weather, the Houston Police Department offers these tips:

• Leave early to give yourself more time to travel, and drive slower.
• Be especially alert and drive courteously.
• Leave adequate space between your vehicle and the ones ahead.
• Watch for wet or slick spots, especially on overpasses and bridges.
• Watch for slow-moving vehicles, such as sand trucks.
• If you skid, steer in the direction you want your vehicle to go.
• Avoid lane changes and sudden stops - be gentle with the brakes and signal when you change lanes.
• Avoid all cellphone useunless you need to make an emergency call.

If you are involved in a traffic accident:

• Your first concern should be safety.
• Use common sense, consider your choices and do the safest thing.
• Activate your vehicle's flashing lights.
• Get uninjured and slightly injured people to safety.
• Weigh whether moving the badly injured would be worse than leaving them vulnerable where they are and act accordingly. Call 9-1-1.
• Move the damaged vehicles or do what you can to ensure other drivers see the accident in time to avoid it.

Stalled or slightly damaged vehicles should be moved out of moving lanes of traffic. In fact, police are not needed at an accident scene if there are no injuries, no driver is intoxicated, all vehicles are drivable and each driver has and exchanges the appropriate information. This information should be exchanged: name, address, telephone number(s), vehicle information (license, make, model, color), insurance information (company name and policy number) and driver's license number. In such cases, minor accidents may be reported - within 24 hours of their occurrence - in person at your nearest HPD substation or storefront.