The Seattle Police Department published fall and winter driving reminders from its Traffic Unit on November 5, 2026. This recent feature covers that dated guidance, which appeared in the department’s October newsletter—not a report of current road conditions.

The unit’s advice pairs vehicle checks with changes behind the wheel: keep headlights on, check tires and the battery, leave more space, and watch for hazards on wet or icy roads.

Before heading out

SPD recommends these visibility and vehicle checks:

  • Keep headlights on in fall and winter. SPD ties the reminder to inclement weather and reduced visibility.
  • Check tire pressure and tread before sustained rain, frost, ice and possible snow.
  • Check the battery in preparation for cold winter morning starts.

On the road

The Traffic Unit also advises drivers to:

  • Increase following distance to allow for wet or icy surfaces.
  • Lower speed in severe weather, anticipating pooled water and possible hydroplaning.
  • Watch for children and crosswalks during fall activities.
  • Treat dark intersections as four-way stops during power outages.

These are the Traffic Unit’s seasonal reminders as published in the November 5 newsletter release. The advice is presented here as agency guidance, not a weather forecast.

Contextual archive photograph, 9 July 2024: parked Seattle Police SUVs, not current weather or a Traffic Unit operation. Photo: Kyah117 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Cropped, resized and archive label added by ThinBlueNews. No photographer or agency endorsement is implied.