Police advise: Use care when backing up

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook police officers are urging caution for local travelers facing the possibility of inclement weather as the holiday weekend approaches.

Forecasted wet or snowy roadways combined with the bustling of post-Thanksgiving shopping can make for a high risk of fender-benders, according to McCook Police Department Senior Sgt. Kevin Darling. During last week's Coffee with a Cop meeting, Darling asked local travelers to be extra-observant, "especially when backing vehicles," in hopes of avoiding what the police department worries could be numerous accident reports in the coming days.

"Extra observant can't be emphasized enough. People, myself included, have that mental to-do list. Families are home and we forget that we are not the center of the universe, while those around us are doing the same thing," said Sgt. Darling.

Darling said putting a little effort toward awareness of surroundings can be a great tactic in avoiding an accident.