Many times people are walking outside in the winter, and they slip on the ice. They fall down and hurt themselves on the ice, causing injuries like back pain or breaking a bone. Even if you’re in the car or any other vehicle in the snow, you can skid or the car could get stuck. People should be careful when walking in the snow and watch where they step.

Normally when snow falls, schools and other services close down due to the unsafe roads. The Edmonds School District recently sent out an email to all the students. “…All schools in the Edmonds School District will begin two hours late on Tuesday, Jan. 4, due to difficult road and sidewalk conditions.” The buses were all scheduled to come 2 hours later than usual, and the school start time was also delayed, for reasons not known. Though my guess is that they were waiting for the snow to get shoveled out so the buses don’t get stuck.

Sadly, even once the snow starts to melt or go away, there is a remainder of ice underneath it that is even more dangerous than the snow itself. A student at Brier Terrace says, “It is extremely slippery when you walk on snow.” She and other students claim that they have to walk slowly and cautiously, watching their steps, when they walk outside during Winter.  “Over 1,300 people are killed and more than 116,800 injuries due to snowy, slushy, and ice pavement every year. Every year, nearly 900 people are killed and nearly 76,000 people are injured in vehicle crashes during snowfall or sleet,” says the Road Wether Management Control. Vehicles have to slow down and drive carefully to avoid skidding and accidents, and many people choose to stay home altogether to stay away from the risk of unnecessary injuries, death, and damage. Vehicles have a bigger chance of succumbing to mishaps with snow and ice than walking or running and slipping because the cars go much faster. We also have less control over the entire vehicle than we have just on our own bodies.

Because of the snowfall that has been troubling our typical routines and schedules recently, it is important to remember that snow is not just all fun, it can also lead to serious mishaps, and we should be careful. I noticed this yesterday when walking to my bus stop in the morning; I had to be very watchful to walk slow and not step on the icy parts of the sidewalk. It is important to be cautious of our day-to-day activities because you could take an unexpected hit in the head if you don’t.