With the recent snow and this being DeKalb’s tenth snowiest winter, safety is of importance.

NIU staff meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste said it is important to take the necessary precautions while driving in winter weather.

“You have to slow down when the streets are icy,” Sebenste said. “Drive slow, drive carefully and always watch for the other guys.”

With the salt shortage in DeKalb, traveling down sidestreets is even more difficult than it would normally be, Sebenste said.

“The city and county are only salting major thoroughfares,” Sebenste said.

Sebenste said even when walking, one must stay safe; there are always dangers in winter weather.

“Always watch out for icy spots while walking,” Sebenste said. “There is a layer of ice under the snow from all the freezing rain we have been having.”

Geography Professor David Changnon said it is crucial to cover all exposed skin when temperatures approach zero degrees.

“Cover the head,” Changnon said. “We lose a lot of heat through the head.”

Changnon said that exposed skin can dip below the air temperature if exposed to cold air.

“On days when you have a temperature around zero and then you throw in a brisk wind, the temperature of the skin can drop way below zero,” Changnon said.

The National Weather Service said winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. People die in traffic accidents on bad roads and from hypothermia from prolonged exposure to cold.

Heart attacks that occur while shoveling snow also contribute to the winter death toll.