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It was a Friday morning in January, and like many Washington State University students, Chris Schuyler was driving home to Seattle for the weekend. It had snowed heavily the night before, but Schuyler had winter tires on his Geo Tracker so he felt there was nothing to worry about.

“It was a long weekend and I was excited to get home,” said Schuyler. “Winter driving was never a problem before since I had studded tires.”

Schuyler was driving up a steep hill in Pullman when his rear-wheel drive vehicle lost traction and slid off the road into a ditch.

“I could not believe my car had actually gone off the road,” said Schuyler. “It was one of those things you think only happens to other people.”

During the winter season, more local drivers find themselves involved in accidents related to freezing weather conditions. It snows frequently and the roads become very slippery, but drivers are not always more cautious or prepared, said Steve Myers, owner of Myers Auto Rebuild and Towing in Pullman.

“We get really busy during the winter,” said Myers. “Instead of running a week back log we find ourselves scheduling repairs two or three weeks into the future,” he said.

Companies like Myers Auto Rebuild and Towing receive many calls from the police department during the winter to pull vehicles back on the road like the Geo Tracker driven by Schuyler.

Accidents resulting from poor road conditions occur fairly consistently in Pullman, Myers said. If someone slides off the road in a certain area, chances are that person is not the first, he said.

“Slick weather definitely doesn’t hurt the body or towing business,” said Myers. “I’ve been out all night towing cars in bad weather before.”

Drivers often buy winter tires and feel they are entirely safe to drive again, said Myers. However, more caution still needs to be taken in order to avoid becoming an accident victim.

The Washington State Department of Transportation web site offers tips for safe winter driving.

Drivers should keep their headlights on at all times, the web site says. The web site recommends staying off the roads entirely in icy conditions.

If driving cannot be avoided, people should drive slower and give themselves extra time to reach their destination, according to the web site.