As another winter storm approaches New Brunswick, RCMP Sgt. Chantal Farrah is asking drivers to heed weather warnings and stay off the highways on Thursday.

When drivers go their own way, regardless of weather and road conditions, it is frustrating and difficult for first responders, she said, pointing to the blizzard Monday.

More than 75 motorists called 911 after becoming stranded on provincial roads.

"We're advising motorists to please hunker down on Thursday ... just so we don't have a repeat of what we just went through," Farrah said.

Environment Canada has issued weather warnings for Wednesday night and Thursday, with 15 to 25 centimetres of snow expected in southern, central and eastern areas.

Gary Howard, a vice-president with CAA in the Maritimes, wasn't surprised to hear so many people ended up stuck in the blizzard.

"There's a good reason for those warnings," Howard told Information Morning Moncton. "It seems like Canadians forget what it's like to drive in the winter."

'Just be nice'

Howard said that during the winter, drivers should always have at least half a tank of gas and make sure they clear all of the snow from their vehicle.

[Truckers] want to get to a safe place just as bad as everyone else and they don't go out there thinking, "I can plow my way through whatever I want.'' - Jean-Marc Picard , Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association

"One thing I see quite a bit is people driving quickly through residential areas or through commercial areas and very often ... you're trying to come out of a driveway and snowbanks are so high that you can't really see around," Howard said.

"My rule of thumb is, just be nice."

He also advises drivers to have a survival kit in their vehicle with a retractable shovel, emergency lighting, food, a first aid kit, a blanket and a tuque.

"In the event that you do break down, try to stay with your vehicle. It's safer for you to be in the vehicle than walking down the side of the road — especially in bad weather conditions."

Truckers under pressure

On Monday at least three trucks were stranded on the Trans Canada between Moncton and Fredericton, according to officials with MRDC, the company that manages the highway.

Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, said most companies did take their trucks off the roads.

Most transport trucks were pulled off the roads during the blizzard this week, but at least three were stranded and spent the night on the highway between Moncton and Fredericton. (Roger Cosman/CBC) "There's always a few stragglers that are on their way home, or at a truck stop ... and they decide to do that last stretch ... but I can tell you most of my members on Tuesday didn't have any of their trucks out there."

Picard said winds have the biggest impact on transport trucks, and companies take their responsibility very seriously.

"You've got to be conscientious of that, so they make the decision themselves to stay off the roads and for that reason they're not risking their drivers' safety, the public's safety and, obviously, damaging the truck or the load."

Picard said the drivers who ended up stranded were likely from out of province and weren't paying attention to the New Brunswick forecast.

"They work long hours, it's not always easy, they want to get to a safe place just as bad as everyone else and they don't go out there thinking, 'I can plow my way through whatever I want.'"

With three storms in less that a week, drivers are under more pressure when it comes to deliveries such as food and medical supplies.

"If you have two to three days of this, back-to-back, there's some loads that are more rushed," he said.

"When you know you're going to be off the roads for 24 hours you plan ahead, you move things around, you get the rush loads out there first and you go from there once the storm is over."