Clark County and Central Kentucky has already seen their first snowfall of the year and temperatures are expected to remain below 40 degrees — falling to as low as 15 degrees overnight — today.

With the wintry weather comes a need for increased caution on the road.

From snow to ice and sleet, there are many factors that can contribute to accidents in the winter.

About 17 percent of all accidents happen in the winter weather conditions.

AAA offers these tips on winter driving preparedness:

— Avoid driving while you’re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.

— Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage, nor leave a running vehicle unattended.

— Make certain your tires are properly inflated and have adequate tread.

— Have the battery checked by a professional to ensure it is strong enough to face cold weather.

— Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.

— Before heading out, motorists are advised to prepare a winter emergency kit and stow in the trunk of their vehicle to have it immediately available. Emergency kit items should include a de-icer, shovel, ice scraper, warning flare or reflector triangle, flashlight with fresh batteries, first aid kit, jumper cables and sand or kitty litter (for traction). Also pack a blanket, extra gloves and heavy but light-colored jacket, scarf or hat (so you can be seen if you have to get out of your vehicle); snacks and beverages for passengers and pets who may be traveling with you; and a cell phone with car charger.

AAA also offers these tips about winter driving:

— Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids.

— Drive slowly. Every maneuver takes longer on snow-covered roads.

— Increase your following distance by at least 6 seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop. Do not tailgate.

— Avoid braking on icy roads. Try to brake well ahead of stop signs and traffic lights, preferably in areas of clear pavement. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold braking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.

— Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, without getting close to vehicles ahead of you, do it.

— Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top rather than hard acceleration. Do not stop on your way up the hill. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill as slowly as possible.

— Never use cruise control on slippery roads. Cruise control will cause you to lose the ability to transfer more weight to the front tire by simply lifting off the accelerator. A driver should always be in full control of their vehicle during poor road conditions.

— Avoid unnecessary lane changes. This increases the chances of hitting a patch of ice between lanes that could cause loss of vehicle traction.

— Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don’t tempt fate: If you don’t have somewhere you have to be, watch the winter weather from indoors

Many of these tips seem simple or common sense, but many accidents can prevented each year if motorists would refresh themselves on these tips and follow them.

Editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. The board is comprised of publisher Michael Caldwell and Bluegrass Newsmedia editors Whitney Leggett and Ben Kleppinger. To inquire about a meeting with the board, contact Caldwell at 759-0095.