Beyond the physical preparations, mental preparation is highly important.
I grew up in the Utica/Rome of NY. My commute to college was 26 miles, most of the trip along a 4 lane divided highway. The first snow storm of the year dropped 8" snow, and on the way to school I counted 26 cars in the ditch. Folks didn't slow down and/or maintain a longer separation between vehicles. They probably knew how to drive on snow, but weren't yet remembering how.
The following week there was another storm, and about half that number of cars were in the ditch. The "snow reflexes" were returning.
The week after that, after another storm, there were 3 cars in the ditch along my route. For most people the snow reflexes were in full force. For the few? As Ron White says, "you can't fix stupid."
Having lived in NC for 30+ years, when it snows or ices, I do my best to stay home. That way there's one less idiot on the road. If I have to go out, I have a shovel and extra jacket. The Raleigh area doesn't get much snow, so this works out. If I lived in the mountains, I'd keep sand or kitty litter in the trunk.
