Icy roads will soon be a thing of the past. But what do drivers need to be aware of to stay safe in the warmer months ahead?

With winter coming to an end many drivers may find themselves breathing a sigh of relief. However, spring comes with it's own set of driving challenges.

Snow and ice have given way to rain and mud, which has caused drivers to let go of the extra caution that they used during the winter months. Rich Leute, National Safety Council Driving Instructor said, "Spring fever is a big problem because when the weather breaks everybody's looking around at the flora everything's getting green. Everybody's kind of ah, winter's gone and now spring's coming. Before you know it fishing, camping season is here and it tends to distract people."

It's a good idea to maintain at least a three second space behind any vehicle in front of you to give yourself more reaction time as well as keeping a better eye on cars behind you.

Even if you're a safe and alert driver there are many others on the road at the same time being distracted by cell phones, eating, anything that people think they can manage. Leute also says that studies have shown that driving while using a cell phone hands free or hand held is equivalent to driving with a 0.08 blood alcohol content. That's not an opinion, that's a fact."

So when you're out this spring driving and enjoying the nice weather, remember these simple safety tips and keep in mind that you're not the only one on the road.