It began Wednesday afternoon.Droplets of rain fell to the ground and froze, leaving a sheet of ice on top of the sidewalks, parking lots and roads of central Iowa.Then the layer thickened as sleet continued to fall Thursday, and was covered by several inches of snow when it turned to snow early Friday morning.The result?No classes at Iowa State on Friday.While for many this weather means fun and games, for those who must drive on the ice- and snow-covered roads, it means an attitude adjustment.And that’s most of us.When winter attacks in Iowa, drivers — especially those in the 18-to-25 demographic — tend to forget the weather changes more than the view of the golf course.While driving in town, it’s important to acknowledge the other drivers around you and assume they aren’t doing the same. Drive slowly and carefully on questionable pavement, and be patient for people and cars nearby.Test the traction before you come to a stop sign, and make sure you actually stop instead of rolling through.Also stop for yellow lights rather than accelerate to get through them. You never know what the surface could be like at the intersection.Be considerate of pedestrians. They also cannot move as fast and may fall down in front of your car if the surface is slick.Besides, it’s very cold out. Let them walk by so they can get to their destination and out of the wind just that much sooner.When traveling, don’t forget to carry things in your car like an extra hat and pair of gloves, a blanket, a scraper and shovel, and kitty litter or chicken grit for traction in case you get stuck.Also carry a cell phone if you can.Winter weather can be both fun and dangerous — make sure you’re prepared for the worst.editorialboard: Carrie Tett, Greg Jerrett, Katie Goldsmith, Andrea Hauser and Jocelyn Marcus