Print edition: 
Old Man Winter couldn't wait for the statewide Winter Weather Awareness Day today — he has already punched Kansas a couple of times in recent weeks.
Officials say those incidents are fresh reminders why it's important to be prepared for winter weather and handle it cautiously.
One storm brought blizzard conditions to portions of northwest Kansas last month. Another storm dumped a foot of snow in northeast parts of the state earlier this week, after shifting farther north than forecasters anticipated.
"The people we end up working crashes on, or their vehicle's broken down, are people that just failed to plan appropriately," Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Gary Warner said.
Planning ahead and slowing down are two points that Kansas drivers should focus on this winter, local officials said.
"They're not adjusting their driving to the conditions," Kansas Department of Transportation spokesman Tom Hein said. "Many times they drive as if the roads were clear and the weather was fine, and that's just not the way it is."
People aren't just in a hurry in dangerous conditions, Hein said, they're not paying attention.
"We're seeing more distracted drivers," he said. "It was bad enough before, but now it's worse."
Statistics show that the number of traffic accidents in Wichita during the winter months have stayed steady in recent years. Officials say those totals don't include minor, noninjury accidents that meet the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan requirements.
Drivers aren't giving proper clearance to snowplows and brine spreaders, Hein said, setting the stage for accidents.
Snowplow drivers in particular "are really focused on what's in front of them," he said, so they may not realize someone is right behind them.
That means drivers should exercise special caution when passing snowplows and brine trucks.
Budget constraints mean KDOT maintenance crews will be "judicious" when treating streets, bridges and other elevated areas this winter, Hein said.
"We're going to be watching our resources very carefully," Hein said.
Budget constraints won't affect the city's snow and ice operations, Public Works Director Chris Carrier said.
Along with being careful on streets and highways this winter, Chance Hayes, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Wichita, said people should be wise about shoveling snow and monitoring carbon monoxide levels in their homes.
"Don't overdo it when you're shoveling snow," he said. "When I see elderly folks out there shoveling that snow, it scares me to death.
"But I have to admit that there are times I don't think twice about it. When I'm huffing and puffing I need to think, 'Maybe I ought to sit for a while.' "
Or pay someone else to shovel the walks, he said.
Homeowners should invest in a carbon monoxide detector to alert them should the odorless gas reach dangerous levels, Hayes said.
"Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill somebody," he said. "Every single year we see that. People just don't think about those things."
