Monday brought with it a shift in the weather — rain, fog, snow and less-than-ideal driving conditions across much of the province.

Alberta RCMP reports that officers responded to over 277 weather-related collisions.

With this comes a reminder to be prepared before you hit the roads this winter.

1. Get your vehicle ready for winter in the fall
2. Pack an emergency kit
3. Learn and practise winter driving techniques
4. Check your route on Alberta 511 prior to departure
5. Remove all snow from your vehicle before each trip
6. Give yourself extra travel time in bad weather
7. Travel with a fully-charged cell phone for emergency situations
8. Slow down and wear your seatbelt

Shootin’ the Breeze publisher Shannon Peace adds one more, reminding people to turn ON their headlights.

Visibility was poor Wednesday morning and, while travelling to work via Highway 507, she was amazed at the number of people without their lights turned on. Some had park lights, others had daytime running lights and some had none at all.

Daytime running lights do not illuminate tail lights unless the brake is engaged so having lights on makes you more visible.

This simple tip and the others listed above contribute to safer travels for all.