MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Snowy weather has caused slippery roads in parts of the Mid-South. If you’re ready to head out, here are some helpful links to check road conditions before you set off.

Travelers in Tennessee can click here to check TDOT Smartway for road closures and delays.

If you’re driving in Arkansas, click here to check out iDrive Arkansas’ traffic cameras.

If you’re driving to or through Mississippi, click here for MDOT’s traffic cameras.

If you’re traveling to or through Missouri, click here to check out MoDOT’s cameras.

According to AAA, drivers should examine their car from front to back to prepare it for winter. People should check headlights and taillights for scratches and damage to ensure their vehicle is visible to other drivers.

Cars should have enough windshield wiper fluid to remove debris from salted roads.

Drivers should open the hood of their car and check the battery, belts and hoses. Drivers should also keep an eye on their car’s tire pressure and ensure that it meets the vehicle manufacturer’s specifications. The specifications can be found on the side door or in the user manual.

An emergency kit should always be in your car. It can help drivers whose car breaks down and is waiting for help.

Items that should be included in emergency kits include:

• Small toolkit
• Sand or cat litter ensure that car tires have more traction
• snow shovel
• Jumper cables
• Ceiling
• Warm clothing
• Water
• Eat
• Cell phone charger

People should not get out of their car if they are stuck in snow over their car’s exhaust pipe.

Prepare your vehicle for driving in bad weather

• Remove all snow and ice from the windows, roof, hood, trunk lid, and any other covered areas of the vehicle. This reduces risk as it increases your visibility. Additionally, drivers around you won’t be blinded by snow blowing away from your vehicle.

• Use an ice scraper to remove snow and ice from your windshield and all windows, including side and rear windows. This improves your ability to detect other road users who may be entering your path.

• To optimize visual clarity, clean the outside and inside of your windshield at least once a week. If you smoke, frequent cleaning is even more important.

• Keep your windshield wiper blades fresh. Many drivers change them every six months, especially before driving in bad weather.

• Prepare your vehicle for winter operation by checking antifreeze, battery, tires, wipers and lights, including brake lights and turn signals.

• Let others know your route and estimated time of arrival, and allow extra time for delays.

• Just in case, put together an emergency breakdown kit that you can keep in your vehicle. This includes water, snacks, blankets, jumper cables, etc.

• Make sure your headlights are on. In fact, it’s a good idea to always have your headlights on while driving as it will make you more visible in all conditions.

• Reduce your speed and leave enough space to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the vehicle in front of you.

• Brake carefully to avoid skidding.

• Do not use cruise control on wet, snowy or icy roads.

• Be aware of possible icy roads. Be especially careful on bridges and overpasses, which freeze over faster than roads. And even in above-freezing temperatures and wet conditions, ice can occur in shaded areas or on exposed roads such as bridges.

• Be careful on rarely used roads that may not be plowed as often as other roads.

• If you must pull off the road, wait until conditions improve and pull off the road as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guardrail.

• It’s best to drive to a rest area or parking lot and not to the side of the road.

Know when to brake and when to steer

• Some driving situations require abrupt intervention to avoid an accident or collision, and in winter the decision to steer or brake can have very different consequences. When driving over 25 mph, steer instead of braking to avoid a collision in winter conditions, as it takes less distance to go around an object than to brake to a stop. If the road is slippery, braking suddenly can result in loss of control of the vehicle.

• However, sometimes steering is not an option. When braking on slippery surfaces, you have to look further ahead and increase the following and braking distance. Plan your stopping distance as early as possible and always look ahead 20 to 30 seconds to ensure you have time and space to stop safely.

Maintain control by skidding

Finally, drivers should never let their tank contents drop below a quarter tank capacity.

Check ABC24 for the latest weather updates. Click here for the latest forecast and click here for our radar.

Don’t forget to download the ABC24 app on your Apple or Android device to receive weather updates wherever you are.