Following an increase in roadway incidents during inclement weather — and with winter season entering full swing — emergency responders are urging the public to take measures that’ll help them drive safely.

Across Warren, Barren, Logan, Simpson, Butler, Allen, Edmonson and Hart counties, Kentucky State Police Post 3 stated that it saw an increase in collisions due to rainy weather in October. The agency saw a 31.5% increase in collisions from Oct. 15 to Nov. 15 compared to the previous one-month period: 117 collisions, up from 89, according to KSP Trooper Katan Parker, public affairs officer for KSP Post 3. From Nov. 15 to Dec. 11, there were 69, he added.

Meanwhile, although Med Center Health EMS Director Seth Wilson hasn’t yet seen a huge uptick in weather-related cases, MCH is “seeing enough that it warrants education to the public.” He added that there’s been an increase in pedestrian incidents, including drivers striking people walking and riding bicycles.

“The Kentucky State Police would like to encourage people to be punctual when traveling,” Parker stated. “Try and give yourself time so that you don’t have to rush. Rushing leads to speeding, speeding is one of the most common causes of a collision.

“Buckle up, there are people who care about you.”

MCH EMS is keeping extra blankets in its trucks, which also have heaters in the back, and they’re switching to a different style of tread on trucks that better maneuver in icy conditions, Wilson said. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 3, which serves Bowling Green, fully stocked its salt supplies for the roads, prepared and tested equipment, and trained all drivers well ahead of the winter season, according to the district’s public information officer Wes Watts.

Preparation is also important for the public, Wilson said — as drivers can watch the weather forecast and procure groceries ahead of inclement weather to avoid driving in poor conditions. People, especially those not accustomed to driving under hazardous conditions, should avoid driving in such conditions unless absolutely needed, he added.

Wilson stressed that people should not press their comfort levels driving — and if people do drive in hazardous weather, they need to slow down, pay attention to surroundings and look ahead, he said.

“It’s very important for motorists to adjust driving behavior during hazardous weather conditions — if it’s rain, snow and ice, any kind of conditions like that, motorists need to slow down, put their phones down,” Watt added. “They need to really pay attention to the roadway.”

That also goes for those when 4-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, Watt added.

“The reality is that those are just as vulnerable particularly in icy conditions to having a crash as other vehicles,” Watt said. “People can get overconfident when in 4-wheel or all-wheel-drive vehicles. There are plenty of those types of vehicles that end up in a ditch, or end up hitting a median or going off the road in a snow or ice event.”

Avoiding accidents is doubly important, as collisions can slow down traffic for emergency responders driving to support people who do need medical attention, Wilson said. He also pointed to the protocol for when first responders turn their lights and sirens on — slowing down, moving right, and yielding as needed.

Wearing a seatbelt is likely the single-best method for decreasing injury risk in an accident, Wilson added. Children should use car seats appropriate for their weight and age, and strapped in correctly, he said.

Separately, Wilson said that people in the elements should stay wary of their health. Winter weather can result in hypothermia and frostbite at extreme levels.