Let’s be honest, driving in the winter can be rough. If you live in a climate where it snows and/or drops below freezing, getting from point A to point B takes some effort. In Missouri this January, drivers were shocked by droves of black ice on major freeways, causing several to slide off the roads and into the tulips.

America Smalls was one such driver, who was driving her Honda Accord on the sketchy, frozen highway. When her car lost traction and threatened to become one of the several others that slid off the road, she made the quick decision to let her car handle the rest.

She was captured on camera leaping out of her car. Smalls watched from the slippery road as her Honda slid into a nearby ditch.

“The car wasn’t stopping, and I didn’t know what to do,” she told Inside Edition over a video call. “So, my first thought was to just jump out. I didn’t want to be inside of it if, like, a collision were to happen.”

An expert says she should have stayed in the car

Jana Tidwell, a professional driving instructor from Philadelphia, says Smalls could have prevented the crash by staying behind the wheel.

“Unless your car is heading towards a scary body of water, [jumping out of the car] is not a safe decision to make,” she explained. “You want to regain as much control over your vehicle as possible.”

Viewers agreed and added that Smalls essentially turned her Honda into an unpiloted missile on ice.

“So, instead of staying in a car with protective crush zones, airbags, and seatbelts, you decide to jump out of a moving car onto the road with no protection so it could hit someone else,” wrote a viewer. “She could have caused a worse accident or killed someone.”

Others said she put herself in more danger

Given how many other cars were stuck on the side of the road, another viewer noted she could have easily become roadkill.

“If your car is slipping out of control, what makes you think the person behind you is going to have control? you’re going to get run over, girl!” they wrote.

Many viewers pointed out that her car would have slid into the grass, where it would have been easier to gain control.

“That was the dumbest decision ever. She was going to roll into a grassy area where they could have stopped if she stayed in the vehicle and braked,” they wrote. “Some people really should not have a license and be driving, period. She could have killed someone with her runaway car.”

Tips for driving on ice and snow

• Slow and steady wins the race. If the speed limit is 25, go 15 or 10. You should drive even slower if visibility is low.
• Don’t brake, accelerate, or turn suddenly. Keep movements slow and calculated, and brake earlier than you would in normal conditions to slow to a stop to avoid skidding. Starting from a stop should be smooth and slow, too.
• Keep your distance. It’s important to maintain plenty of space, or a “safety cushion,” from the car in front of you. This way, if they stop suddenly or begin to slide, you have room to stop and turn on your hazard lights to warn others.
• Make sure you’ve got the right tires. As soon as it starts getting below 40 degrees during the day or at night, it’s important to have snow tires or tires rated for snow (three mountain peak snowflake certified) to maintain and regain traction.
• Make yourself more visible to other drivers by having your headlights on, and check to make sure no bulbs need replacing.