OHIO — This weekend, many parts of Ohio will get hit with snow and ice, according to Spectrum News 1 meteorologists. 

The snowbelt will get lake-effect snow Saturday, but more snow ramps up Sunday through Monday. The southern half of Ohio will have the biggest impacts from this system, as 6 to 8 inches or more of snow are looking likely. Additionally, areas near the Ohio River will likely get ice and freezing rain. 

With the incoming storm, the American Automobile Association and the Ohio State Highway Patrol urged residents to start preparing now. 

“Snowy, icy weather is a fact of life in Ohio,” said Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio. “If you have to travel when the weather is bad, it’s important to give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going so you can take it slow.”

OSHP said last winter, there are more than 8,000 crashes on snow, ice or slush-covered roads in the state. Fifteen people died in those crashes. OSHP said many of the crashes were avoidable if drivers had slowed down and left extra distance between them and the car ahead. 

Of last year's data, 21% of crashes on snow, ice or slush-covered roads were because of people driving at an unsafe speed, and 13% of crashes were caused by following a car too closely.

“Safety is especially important during inclement weather,” said Col. Charles Jones, patrol superintendent. “Motorists are encouraged to slow down and use extra caution. Leaving more space between vehicles and staying patient can help ensure a safer trip for everyone.”

AAA said it's expecting an uptick in roadside service calls this weekend and into Monday.

“The usual trend with winter storms is that many people stay off the roads during the worst of it, and then we see more roadside service calls for dead batteries, crashes and slide-offs afterward, once the storm has passed,” said Kara Hitchens, public affairs manager for AAA. “With the winter precipitation forecast for Saturday and Sunday, we anticipate high call volume on Monday, as many people head back to work or school.”

AAA gave these tips for preparing cars for winter weather:

• Make sure tires have good tread for adequate traction and are properly inflated. For every 10-degree drop in temperature, tires can lose 1 pound of air pressure
• Get the car's battery checked to make sure it can face cold weather, as it can deplete its power faster than normal
• Keep your gas tank at least half-full to avoid gas line freeze-up
• Ensure that windshield wiper blades are in good condition and the wiper fluid reservoir is full
• Make sure all lights (headlights, tail and brake lights, turn signals) are working properly so you can see and be seen in bad weather conditions

Additionally, AAA gave tips for driving in snowy and icy conditions:

• Stay home. Don't go out if you don't have to
• Check road and weather conditions before you head out
• Drive slowly, as everything takes longer when roads are covered in snow or ice
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly to avoid skids and regain traction
• Don't slam on the breaks if you start to skid — instead, steer in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go until tires regain traction
• Increase your following distance to eight to 10 seconds to give yourself a safer distance to stop if you need to 
• Don’t stop if you can avoid it to decrease the amount of inertia it takes to start moving 
• Don’t power up hills, as applying extra gas could just make your wheels spin — instead, try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top
• Don’t stop going up a hill

Those who must travel in winter weather conditions can use OHGO for real-time traffic conditions. OSHP's winter driving traffic safety bulletin can also be found here.