(ABC 6 News) – If you plan to be driving Friday night or Saturday morning, it is important to keep the road conditions in mind before you go.

“We’ve seen an increase in crashes this week just with a little bit of snow,” sai Sgt. Troy Christianson with Minnesota State Patrol (MSP). “This upcoming weekend we’re anticipating more snow, and also temperatures are dropping, so it’s important that people are gonna be aware of that, and make sure you’re driving a speed that’s safe for the conditions.”

Even with snowplows hard at work to clear the roads, blowing snow is still a risk factor on seemingly clear streets.

“The snow’s gonna make the roads, snow-packed roads slippery, things like that, and if you put the wind in there then it’s gonna make visibility poor,” said Trooper Tom Williams with Iowa State Patrol (ISP).

Visibility only gets worse after dark, making cautious driving all the more important.

“Plan accordingly, plan ahead, plan for extra time and reduce your speed,” said Williams.

However, safe driving goes beyond driving slow.

“Don’t use your cruise control. A lot of people get in the habit of just using the cruise control when the roads are good, but just that reaction time you’ll have to shut off the cruise is allotted too late and also will cause crashes,” said Christianson.

Rochester Police say between noon and 9 p.m. on Friday, officers responded to about ten crashes. MSP also responded to two injury crashes Friday evening, one on Hwy 52 in Olmsted County and another on I-90 in Freeborn County.

If you crash or spin out on these slippery, snow-covered roads, call 911 immediately.

“We’re gonna be jumping from call to call and it may take just a little bit for us to get there, so stay in your vehicles, that’s probably the safest place for you,” said Williams.

Safety officials stress the best way to avoid any danger on the roads in the first place is to just stay home.

“If people don’t have to be out on the road, you know, don’t,” said Williams.