Winter is here and where I live, in Finland, we have just had our first snow with many drivers on slippery roads on plain summer tires.

I was doing a 60 mile trip yesterday, mostly on smaller rural roads where the snow is not spoiled by salt and heavy traffic, and I though to myself:

It’s not really dangerous or difficult to drive on slippery roads as long as you know what to do and when, you just have to adopt a different style of driving and you’ll be as safe as on dry summer roads. 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. Always plan for lower speeds and longer travel times.

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 only way to avoid these accidents is to keep a good distance of 100-600 feet to the car in front of you. 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.

Sometimes the only way to avoid a accident is to not break at all and instead steer clear of the obstacle. This method do require some practise though as the instinct is to push the break pedal as hard as you can.

If your car is equipped with automatic breaking system (ABS) it’s often better to just break and let the car maintain control. 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 the ABS system in your cars users guide.

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.

Never accelerate when you drive through a bend, you need your grip to handle the turning. 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.

You’re car might have a traction control system (TCS) that will make sure you don’t lose grip while accelerating. Read the cars manuals to find out how the TCS works on your vehicle.

Rule #6: Use Good Snow Tires

If you have snow and ice for over a month during winter, consider getting good snow tires. They will shorten your breaking distance and help you keep control of the car on slippery surfaces.

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! Actually trying out how quickly you can stop your vehicle will prepare you for an emergency and give you the gut feeling on how fast you can safely drive on a snow road.

You can find more tips for safe and fuel efficient driving at the fuel economy tips blog at MilesGallon.com

 

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