With the holiday season and colder weather on the way, Police Chief Gene Meek is urging drivers to use extra caution on the roads this winter.

“This is going to be my second winter here, and I don’t believe there was a big jump in the number of accidents last winter,” he said. “But we did have some accidents from people going off the road. I would say most of the safety issues come from black ice forming on the roads.”

He said the area’s constantly wet conditions create the biggest danger once temperatures drop.

“Last year we had a really big snow, but it was only here for a few days and melted away. But there is always wet ground here — whether it’s from the rain or snow,” he said. “So when the temperature hits freezing, we have reason to be concerned.”

The bridges out the road are especially risky, he added, because there is no ground warmth underneath them, which means ice can form faster than on regular roads.

The chief encouraged drivers to keep basic emergency supplies in their vehicles during the winter.

“Make sure you have a blanket in the car. Make sure you have a jacket, just in case,” he said. “And always keep a flashlight, too, because you might need it to flag someone down if you go off the road.”

Because of the increased risk of ice, he said motorists should slow down and leave more room between vehicles.

“People should definitely give themselves more space to stop in winter conditions,” he said. “And that is behind other vehicles as well as stop signs and school zones.”

He also urged drivers to use common sense when deciding whether to travel.

“When there is snow and ice on the ground, those may be times to avoid trying to drive up steep hills, unless you can’t avoid it,” he said. “You should also let people know when you’re traveling somewhere that may have little or no cellular service. Let people know when and where you’re going, and let them know when you expect to be back.”

Meek said he hopes there will be few problems on the roads this winter, but stressed that safety is a shared responsibility.

“One thing I like to tell people is that four-wheel drive doesn’t equate to four-wheel stop in winter weather.”