i keep forgetting to do my annual winter driving warning about pile-up accidents and we’ve already had a few this year (including one outside my hometown during the blizzard last week).

Pile-ups happen when visibility is too low or the accident area is blocked from view.

basically, people coming up on the accident don’t have time to brake and avoid, so they become part of the accident. This is a very dangerous situation that can escalate extremely quickly.

And most people’s inclination when they are in an accident is to get out, examine their car, calm themselves down, and then stand near the wreck.

In a pile-up, the instinct is to get out and run to the side of the road to get out of the way. This is extremely unsafe.

1. You can be hit by oncoming cars in those few seconds it takes you to run over to the shoulder.

2. The shoulder isn’t safe. Even a low concrete barrier isn’t safe. Cars swerving to avoid a pile up are going to run into you.

3 You are more protected in your car than out of it.

Once you’re in a pile up, buckle up and hold on. Your car is designed to protect you and you are much safer inside it than standing on a freeway in front of oncoming cars.

It’ll be terrifying. You’ll want to go talk to other drivers and make sure they’re okay. You’ll probably see and get hit by a few other cars before the pile up stops, especially if you’re caught early on in it.

But it is safer.

You also, once things have stopped moving and it is safe(r) to get out:

DO NOT PULL ANYONE FROM THEIR CAR.

You don’t know what injuries they have, and unless the car is actively on fire, that person is safer not being pulled out of the wreckage.

And, I like to shout about this every so often: take a first aid and CPR course. You may save a life by knowing how to respond to an emergency properly.