The roads are icy and snow is whipping around your car. You’re heading south, back to college for the second semester. As you’re looking for rest stop signs, a truck comes barreling towards you from the other lane. It’s way over the line but it’s too late and too dangerous for you to swerve. The truck smashes into your taillight and you hear the shattering of glass as you’re flung off the road. Heart pounding and chest heaving, you climb out of the car and see the taillight is crushed, the back window is blown out, and a deep scratch decorates the door. Amy Livorsi, Student Life Coordinator, received this report from a phone call from her son. “It was scary, but no one was hurt,” says Livorsi. “He was lucky to have a charged cell phone and know his relative location.” Livorsi didn’t know the blizzard was moving in sooner than expected, but she had packed blankets, food, and warm boots for her son for future use. She recommends everyone have emergency kits in their car because Minnesota weather is unpredictable.
With physics in mind, Bhuvana Nandakumar and Curtis Geldert, MHS physics teachers, also encourage students to drive safe and be prepared. Nandakumar says the first couple of snowfalls are the most dangerous because “people need to recall their physics,” meaning people need to remember to brake earlier and drive slower. Geldert says to drive defensively because you can’t trust the other drivers on the road, especially early in the season. They both agree it’s important for students to drive safely, but also important to always have jumper cables in your car and “know how to use them,” says Geldert.
Cayden Erving, ‘27, recommends everyone dress warmer, check their tire tread, and buy de-icing salt to prepare for winter. A couple of winters ago, Erving and his parents were stopped at a traffic light. His parents had regular maintenance done on their vehicle and were driving cautiously. The car also had new tires and four-wheel drive, so they were able to stop at this particularly icy intersection. However, an oncoming car had not taken the same precautions as Erving’s family. This car was failing to brake for the red light, and swerved into Erving’s car in a panic. Thankfully, they were driving at a slow enough speed that it was a minor accident and no one was injured. Erving says he is “not ready” for this winter season because of the cold and the snow. Eleanor Gale, ‘28, disagrees. She says “the winter season isn’t winter when it’s brown” and that she is excited for the change of season. She argues that winter can be fun if you know how to prepare.
