Driving During Winter - 7 Tips to Stay Safe
Where I live, on the west coast of Finland, winter just arrived with the first real batch of snow. This means slow traffic as many vehicles haven't been switched to snow tires this early in the season.
Yesterday I was doing a 60 mile trip on smaller rural roads where the snow had not been melted away by heavy traffic and salt, summer tires still on, and I thought to myself:
There's really no added danger driving in snow conditions. You just need to have a sound understanding of how the car handles on a slippery surface and adjust your driving style accordingly. The danger is if you apply a summer driving style to winter roads.
Rule #1: Slow Down
Don't expect to reach the same speeds on a winter road as you do in the summer. Plan you trip to take longer and if you drive for long in dark, limited visibility conditions up north plan for more resting time.
Rule #2: Be Really Soft on The Pedals
To keep your car on the road you need grip. When the tires have grip they roll at the speed you're travelling and the car will go where you point the front wheels.
When you break or accelerate too much the wheels will lock and lose all grip.
This turns your car into an object sliding in stead of rolling on the ice, you will have no control over it and it will go straight forward, or if the road is slanted it will slide off the road.
Accelerate and break like you had an egg under the pedal, really softly, and you'll have a lot more grip to play with.
Rule #3: Keep Your Distance and Slow Down in Time
One of the most common accidents at winter is to drive into the car in front of you when it's breaking and you notice too late.
The solution is to always maintain a good distance to the car in front, 100-600 feet depending on your speed and read conditions. If the car in front of you slows down, you should slow down in time so you can keep the distance.
Always slow down when you come to a crossing, even if you don't see any other cars near. This way if there's a surprise you will still be able to stop.
Rule #4: Break Safely
If you find yourself sliding for a ditch or for an obstacle while breaking your best bet is usually to release the breaks for a second or two to steer in a new direction, then continue breaking.
Many times you can avoid an accident or reduce the damage by releasing the breaks and steering clear of the obstacle you are about to hit, maybe hitting a snow wall or some bushes instead. This method do require some practise though as the instinct is to push the break pedal as hard as you can.
If you car has an automatic braking system (ABS) it will take care of releasing the breaks for you, letting you steer and break at the same time. But if it's really slippery even your ABS might lose control and in that case do as above, stop breaking for a second or two and then when you're in control try breaking again. Read more about your ABS system in your cars manual.
Rule #5: Accelerate Safely
You car can either steer or accelerate. On dry roads there is enough grip to both steer and accelerate at the same time, but not on snow and ice.
When you go through a corner, don't accelerate as you need the grip to stay on the road. If you need to accelerate and the bend is light you can do it slowly, but if you lose grip stop the acceleration.
When accelerating too aggressively a rear wheel drive car will lose grip at the read with the risk of spinning around while a front wheel drive car will lose grip in front and unable to turn it will go straight where it's heading.
In case you're car is equipped with a traction control system (TCS) it will help you maintain control during acceleration. You will find more information in your cars manual.
Rule #6: Use Good Snow Tires
If you have snow and ice for over a month during winter, consider getting good snow tires. They have a much more stable handling on winter roads and reduces the breaking distance significantly.
You may also want to check your local laws and regulations in case snow tires are mandatory, and if snow tires with studs are allowed or not.
Rule #7: Practice and Learn
The best way to learn winter driving is to find a safe place where you can practise breaking and sliding! Nothing can prepare your for an emergency like trying to break and avoid an obstacle on a slippery surface.
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