Driving Skills Tested On Ice

By Amy Lester, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The icy roads wreaked havoc on drivers all day long Tuesday, especially in the morning hours.

In Oklahoma City, there were 71 crashes during rush hour.

Crash after crash, Oklahoma commuters got a rude awakening as the first bit of winter weather moved into the metro.

"It started just sliding...and then it started spinning," commuter Roy Thanscheidt said. "I was going to fast couldn't stop it."

Will Orr teaches driving training classes in the Oklahoma State University in Oklahoma City Precision Driving program. He said most drivers involved in crashes were driving too fast for the conditions.

"If you smooth on your steering, smoothing on your braking and think about what you're doing that you're driving on ice, you can avoid a situation," Orr said.

Orr teaches his pupils to hold the steering wheel toward the bottom, instead of 10 and two.

By accelerating and breaking at a smooth pace while turning a corner, a driver is able to safely maneuver a turn at 25 mph.

Orr also recommends steering with hands placed on either side of the steering wheel while braking easily to avoid a possible accident on the ice.

If a driver is involved in an accident on the slick streets and is not injured, Orr recommends getting the other driver's tag number, driver's license number and their insurance information.