WINTER DRIVING SAFETY
My name is Cody Ostrom with Logistic Mindset Group (LMG). I'm reaching out to share a winter-driving safety reminder that we've been distributing across our network. With weather-related crashes continuing to rise each year, this information may be useful to your safety department, fleet trainers, and drivers as we move deeper into the winter season.
Over the last decade, winter accidents involving commercial vehicles have increased, despite improvements in equipment and technology. National crash data shows that:
• More than 24% of annual crashes are weather-related
• Snow and ice contribute to over 150,000 police-reported crashes each year
• Mobile-device-related distraction has increased more than 30% over the last decade
• Drivers using a phone are 23 times more likely to cause a crash
• Over 70% of weather-related fatalities occur at higher speeds on wet, snowy, or icy roads
While technology has advanced, driver behavior has shifted in the wrong direction. Many drivers rely heavily on electronics instead of road awareness. We're also seeing more motorists and CDL-holders driving at unsafe speeds during storms, often without proper winter training, communication tools, or respect for conditions.
Years ago, winter driving was safer because the CB community kept everyone informed. Drivers could warn each other instantly about black ice, whiteouts, or multi-vehicle wrecks ahead. As CB communication declined and mobile distraction increased, multi-vehicle pileups became more frequent and more severe.
One point we stress heavily with new and veteran drivers is this:
Even if a driver does not cause the accident, they may still be held responsible for driving in hazardous conditions.
A preventable crash doesn't always mean the driver was at fault — sometimes it simply means they "should have parked." And in the most serious cases, winter collisions can result in criminal charges if a fatality occurs.
No load pays enough to risk a career, freedom, or a life.
Below are the winter safety principles LMG teaches and encourages other companies to reinforce:
• Slow down early, not late
Traction disappears before drivers feel it.
• Park when conditions are unsafe
Waiting does not cost nearly as much as an accident.
• Reintroduce CB usage
Even minimal communication can prevent pileups.
• Increase following distance
Most winter rear-end collisions involve trucks following too closely in reduced-visibility conditions.
• Don't follow the behavior of surrounding traffic
Speeding cars do not indicate safe conditions.
• Treat all near-freezing wet roads as potential ice
Temperatures between 28–35°F produce the highest number of winter crashes.
Our goal at LMG is to support safer decisions on the highway by helping drivers understand that winter is not a test of skill — it's a test of judgment. Equipment can be replaced. Lives cannot.
If your safety team would like a PDF version of this message, a printable winter-driving poster, or additional training content, I'm happy to provide it.
Thank you for the work you do and for keeping drivers safe.