CLIVE, Iowa — Parts of Iowa are set to start the new year with several inches of snow, and that could leave Iowa roads difficult to drive on.
In Clive, 16-year-old Patrick Warrick is learning to drive in snowy and icy conditions.
"I'm not really a huge fan of it, but it's not horrible," he said.
His grandmother who was there to drop him off and pick him up might have been more nervous about road conditions than he was.
"When there's snow on the ground, I don't drive. I'm terrified to do this. I'll stay home," said Susan Bernal.
That might not be bad advice—especially this weekend.
Local agencies are positing reminders on social media about Saturday's winter weather and the impact on roadways.
Ed Jennings, manager of Streets Smarts in Clive said he reviews winter driving with his students.
"The first thing that we talk about is making sure it's going to be safe to drive," he said.
That's where the Iowa Department of Transportation's website 511IA.org comes in handy. It offers motorists a chance to see live video of road conditions, a map of which roads they should stay off of, and a list of accidents impacting traffic.
Once you've checked road conditions, Jennings suggests making sure your car, especially your tires, are in good condition.
"Your tires that's a big thing...making sure they have good tires on their car," he said.
He always said drivers should slow down during inclement weather.
"That all comes back to is leaving yourself a little bit more time. So if it normally takes you 15 minutes to get to school or work, give yourself at least an extra five or 10 minutes," he said.
Another tip: take it easy of both the gas and the brake pedals.
"When you start driving in the snow, if you're hard on the pedals, that's gonna cause you to slide around," Jennings said.
Warrick learned that lesson firsthand during his drive on Thursday.
"When I pulled out of the parking lot and pressed the brake too hard and slid forward," he said.