A Girls Guide to Cars

Cars. On Your Terms.

  • Home
  • About
    • Become a Contributor!
    • Contributors
    • Our Privacy Policy
  • Work With Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Periscope
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Navigation
  • Home
  • Luxury
  • Style
    • Automotive Design
    • Personal Style
  • Technology
    • Apps
    • Connected Cars
    • Green Tech
    • In Car Entertainment
    • Safety Innovations
  • Travel
    • Destinations
    • Road Trip!
    • Travel Tips
  • Car Buying
    • Costco’s Car Buying Program
    • News
    • Recalls
    • Safety
    • Events
    • Buying a Car
    • Finance
    • Maintenance
    • Parts and Gear
  • News & Opinion
    • What Drives Her
    • Her Stories
    • Editorial
    • Ask Us Anything
    • Twitter Parties

How to Survive Driving in Snow and Not Stress Out

January 28, 2019 by Maria Smith Leave a Comment

These winter driving tips will help anyone who's going to be driving in snow and ice covered roads.

Don’t be afraid of driving in snow. The kids will love it! Photo: Maria Smith

 

‘Snow way’? Here’s how to say ‘snow problem’!

Driving in snow and other winter weather road conditions can be difficult, scary and even hazardous. However, you can learn how to manage your own safety and your need to get around during winter. It’s not just occasional blizzards that make driving daunting. According to Chevrolet’s statistics, temperatures between 24 and 34 degrees Fahrenheit are the most dangerous for driving a vehicle. Chevy also found that driving on snow offers 50% less traction than dry roads. Driving on ice offers 75% less traction than dry, clear roads. With some steady hands, a cool head, and a good dose of common sense, you can take on everything winter can throw at you. 

Further reading: How all wheel drive, traction control and stability control work together to keep your car safe in snow and ice

6 Tips to Survive Driving in Snow

Driving in snow may not be easy but it can be really fun.

Drive on, but just be safe. Photo: Maria Smith

1. Drive slow to focus on safety.

Ok, so this should be the most obvious tip for anyone driving in the snow. However, it is also the one thing people have a hard time following! Driving slow means you will slide less, have more reaction time and have less of a chance of having an accident. Safety should always come before speed. Try to apply the gas slowly when you accelerate to regain traction and avoid skidding. Remember it takes longer to slow down on roads with snow or ice. The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds.

2. Don’t stop.

If you can avoid stopping, or even slowing down, you will have an easier time driving in snow. Stopping can get you stuck as you lose momentum. Let gravity help you whenever possible!

Further Reading: Easy Winter Windshield Tricks to End Your Fight with Ice

Driving in snow may not be easy but it can be really fun.

Have confidence in your driving abilities. Photo: Maria Smith

3. Change lanes judiciously.

If you have to change lanes, it actually may be helpful to look for pavement that is covered with patches of snow. Surprisingly, these are the areas that may provide better traction for maneuvering your vehicle. Once you start your turn into the next lane, don’t panic or overcorrect if your vehicle slips. Some cars, like the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox and 2019 Traverse come equipped with the StabiliTrak system to assist in your maneuver.

4. Don’t pump the brakes.

Contrary to what you may have been told years ago, do not pump your brakes. Today’s antilock brake technology does the pumping for you; you might feel and even hear them doing this, and that’s a good thing. All you have to do is to keep your eyes focused on the direction you want to go and steer that way. Continue to maintain pressure on the brake pedal and let the vehicle’s ABS system modulate the braking.

Further Reading: Could good tires be your best bet for safe winter driving? 

5. Believe you can get yourself unstuck.

To be clear, getting stuck isn’t the best thing either. But it doesn’t have to make you panic. One of the best ways to get your vehicle free is to rock it back and forth. This will depend on the snow conditions and your vehicle’s ground clearance, though. Turning the steering wheel left and right will help to clear the area around the front wheels. (You can also use a shovel). Turn off any traction system you have in your vehicle. Gently shift back and forth between reverse and forward gear. Spin the wheels as little as possible. The rocking motion may help to free your car but it is also important to know when to call for help.  

Driving in snow and ice means you need to slow down.

Be careful switching lanes. Photo: Maria Smith

6. Stay home.

Sometimes you have to know when to call it quits. Driving in snow and ice can be dangerous and not necessarily worth the risk at times. You may have the ability to drive in winter weather, but sometimes it’s OK to decide to skip it.

Driving in snow and ice, and any kind of winter weather, can be hazardous. Taking extra precautions are necessary. Plan for the worst winter weather driving conditions and give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go. Good luck driving in the snow!

Driving in snow may not be easy but it can be really fun.

  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
Maria Smith

Maria Smith

Maria Smith is the founder of MamaliciousMaria.com, one of the top parenting, travel and auto blogs in the country. A member of the Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association, Maria is Married with 4 kids aged 4 to 10. In her pre-baby life she was a TV producer at The Oprah Winfrey Show, among others, and these days, aside from motherhood and writing, plays a mean game of tennis, travels constantly and covets finding fun things for moms to do.
Maria Smith

Latest posts by Maria Smith (see all)

  • How to Survive Driving in Snow and Not Stress Out - January 28, 2019
  • How to Choose the Best Family SUV: Chevrolet Equinox vs Traverse - January 16, 2019
  • 5 Ways This Small SUV Crossover Does It All | 2019 Chevrolet Equinox - November 29, 2018

Filed Under: Safety & Driving Tagged With: driving, driving in snow, safety tips for winter driving

« What to See at the 2019 Houston Auto Show This Weekend
What’s Driving Your Career This Year? Join Us at the Chicago Auto Show and Jump Start Your Journey! »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Reviews Header
3-Row Luxury SUV

2020 Mercedes Benz GLE: This 3-Row Luxury SUV Keeps Getting Better and Better

2019 Buick Regal TourX Luxury Adventure Wagon Review

2019 Buick Regal TourX: The Luxury Adventure Wagon You Didn’t Know You Needed

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
/ ( mm / dd )

Copyright © 2019 · Foodie Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress