Winter officially arrived with a fury this week, with numerous fender-benders, cars in ditches and even schools getting out early.

It seems drivers must re-train themselves each year as the first occurrence of icy roads and snow comes upon us.

If the weather’s bad, stay home if you can. But if you can’t, here are some reminders on how to drive safely during bad weather to help get through Minnesota’s worst.

Slow down and avoid sudden changes in speed or direction.

Keep windows clear of snow and ice. Make sure your defrosters are working, and that your wiper blades are in good shape. You can’t stay on the road if you can’t see it.

Keep your speed steady and slow &045; but not too slow. In deeper snow, it’s often necessary to use the car’s momentum to keep moving.

Use brakes cautiously. Abrupt braking can cause brake lock-up, which causes you to lose steering control.

Antilock brakes are designed to overcome a loss of steering control. To make antilock brakes work correctly, or work at all, you should apply constant, firm pressure to the pedal. During an emergency stop, push the brake pedal all the way to the floor, if necessary, even in wet or icy conditions.

If you get stuck in snow, straighten the wheels and accelerate slowly. Avoid spinning the tires. Use sand or cinders under the drive wheels.

In high winds, use extra care and consider if a trailer, van or other “high-profile” vehicle should be operated at all.

Make sure your vehicle is in good working order. Parts like bad hoses, belts, water pump, spark plug wires, and distributor caps can leave you stranded in the winter. Make sure your battery and charging system are up to snuff. The battery that started your car easily in the summer may not have enough oomph to do it in winter, when the oil isn’t as “fluid” as it was last July. Also, batteries lose power as the temperature drops. Not only do you need more power to start the car in winter, you also get less power from the same battery.

Check the cooling system too, and make sure the antifreeze will protect your car to the winter temperatures you’ll experience in your area. For most areas, you’ll need a 50-50 mix of coolant

to water.

Keep your gas tank close to full. If you do get stuck or stranded, the engine will be your only source of heat. Daytime temperatures will fill the empty space in the tank with moisture, which will condense during the cold night. This water will sink to the bottom and, sooner or later, rust out your tank.

Make sure you have some basic supplies in your car in case you do get stuck.

And a cell phone is certainly a plus if you get stuck.

A little care can help get us all through the winter safely.