Driving Essentials : Tips For Driving In The Snow

By: Justin Brown

Whether you are a driver that has recently passed, or an
experienced driver, travelling in the snow can greatly affect
the way you need to drive the car and also how your car behaves.

Regardless of whether your car has the best braking system
available, it is often not the car brakes that will cause an
accident in such conditions, but the lack of grip between the
road surface and the tyres. This is fairly apparent,
nevertheless many people believe that their vehicle is safer to
driver in snow as it is high-performance or has the latest
stability control technology, which may not be the case.

The cornering ability of the car is almost non-existent, and it
may feel like you can not control the vehicle and might slide
sideways slightly. It is essential to remain focused and refrain
from any sudden braking, sharp acceleration, and travelling at
high speeds. Be aware of what is around you and allow plenty of
time to react to any situation, such as moving traffic. Before
reaching the turn, ensure that you have slowed down long before
taking the corner, and also make certain that you do so in a
straight line so that you avoid loss of control.

When pulling away from a stand-still; try and do so a higher
gear such as in second as opposed to first. This will limit the
degree of wheel spin you could encounter. Likewise, whilst
travelling, drive in as high a gear as possible to also limit
wheel spin.

A remarkable point to make is that most drivers, however
experienced they are at driving in typical conditions, will in
fact have driven fewer miles in the snow than they will have in
normal driving conditions when they were learning to drive. This
shows the amount of drivers on the road that may be unproven
drivers in snow.

When braking, avoid any sudden slowing down as this will cause
the car to skid if you are on ice or snow. Should you find
yourself skidding, release your foot from the brake and reapply
(you may remember this from your driving lessons, although with
ABS technology doing this for you in the dry, this may not have
been the case). Additionally, you can also use the gears to help
slow down the vehicle somewhat. Change to a lower gear carefully
and allow the engine help the car lessen its speed.

Although there is a lot to consider when driving in the snow, it
is also highly important that you bear in mind that other
drivers may not be experienced in the snow. Consequently, do not
assume that other drivers are going to do something; in other
words, expect the unexpected. One example would be to assume
that a driver is going to stop and give way whilst you are
manoeuvring around a roundabout, although this may not occur if
the driver has not applied their brakes early enough.

Importantly, before setting off on your journey, consider the
following: - Do you have to take the journey, and if you do can
it wait until the roads are clear? - Do you have a mobile phone
with you in case of an emergency? - Have you informed someone of
where you are going? - Have you checked that your destination is
accessible by road? - Do you have a blanket or appropriate
clothing in case you become stranded in traffic?

About the author:
Justin Brown is the owner of the site http://www.idealauto.co.uk
where you can find information on a variety of automobile
related subjects, and also sell any used cars in the UK.