Winter is upon us, and Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard reminds people that there are many dangers on the roads this time of year.

Everything from icy roads, deer, and holiday drivers in too much of a hurry can lead to accidents during the winter. Leonard says a good way to keep yourself out of harm’s way is to allow more time to get where you’re going. “Well, it is Christmas time, and you have everybody out scrambling to get their last-minute shopping done, and traveling to and from. And all we can do is ask that you take a little bit of extra time, and pick your route, which way you’re going to go. And make sure that you know what the weather’s going to be before you leave, and you adjust your schedule accordingly. We do not enjoy doing accidents out there on the highways.”

In addition to those safety tips, Leonard says the single easiest way to protect yourself is to buckle your seatbelts. With recent rollover wrecks in the county where serious injuries and death resulted from people not wearing seatbelts, it’s advice he offers in earnest. While some injuries in the past have been a result of safety restraints, Leonard emphasizes the likelihood a seatbelt will save your life is much higher than it causing a serious injury.

To hear more from Leonard, listen to last Wednesday’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.