Dorset Police is reissuing key safety

1.  

 

advice to its communities as the snowy weather and subsequent icy conditions

continue across the county.

Due to the heavy snow fall and freezing

temperatures, Dorset Police is strongly urging members of the public to avoid

travel unless absolutely necessary. If possible, people are urged to stay

indoors until the weather conditions improve.

In the event that journeys are

essential, it is important that members of the public travel with extreme care

– ensuring that they are equipped with a blanket, warm clothing and

sensible footwear, as well as a warm drink and a fully charged mobile.

Motorists should drive with extreme

caution and also ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy before setting out.

This means that drivers should remove all snow and ice from their vehicles and

ensure that lights, heaters and windscreen wipers are fully operational.

For further advice visit the Dorset

Police website at: www.dorset.police.uk

The Force is also urging the public

not to phone and report that it is snowing where they live or that areas around

them are icy. Local authorities are aware of the road conditions and are

regularly gritting key main routes to keep them open. Minor roads will not be

treated in the same way.

Officers are also asking members of

the public not to phone emergency services to inform them that snowballs are

being thrown, unless actual danger is likely to be caused as a result. It is

essential that phone lines are kept as clear as possible for genuine emergency

calls.

The weather conditions may continue

for some while yet and Dorset Police recommends that people regularly check the

Dorset section of the BBC travel news website.

This can be found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews

Alternatively, travel updates can be

found on local TV and radio.

For details of roads that are closed in the county please visit the

Dorsetforyou local authority website at: http://mapping.dorsetforyou.com/closedservices/map

The safest place to be at this time is at home and indoors. 

Picture: ph_micchei, Flickr