Here in Britain, it’s fairly rare that snow actually settles on the roads long enough for it to be a problem, but for the somewhat rare occasion that happens (like yesterday), here’s some tips on how to drive on the roads in snow, without much damage.
First, if you don’t absolutely HAVE to drive, please, don’t. The best way to stay safe is stay at home. If you need to go out, if you can walk to where you need to go that’s a good option. Of course, some will still need to go out, so before you leave, prep your car.
Check your car’s battery, either using your car’s readouts, with a multi-meter (around 12V – 12.5V is fine, or 13-15V with the engine running is fine), or with a battery tester if you’ve got one. Fill up your windscreen washer fluid with proper washer fluid. Much like your engine coolant, the additive lowers the freezing point of the water so it won’t freeze in the lines and will still spray even in low temps. 50/50 pre-mix is fine, or if you are doing it manually with concentrate, aim for between 50 and 60% washer fluid, and 40-50% water. While you are there, check your engine coolant is full enough, and looks a good colour – not just clear water.
You can also try reducing your tyre pressures slightly, especially if you tend to run them at the higher ‘efficiency’ level for the summer. Dropping 5-10PSI from the top end listed pressure is fine and will give you a tad more grip and control on the road. Speaking of tyres, if you do have a winter set, obviously, fit them. If you need to replace your tyres anyway, going for a set of ‘All season’ tyres might be a good shout especially if you don’t drive a performance car.
Finally, pack a blanket, water and non-perishable food in the car, along with some tools and things like the crackable hand warmers. If you get stuck or crash these can help keep you alive while emergency services come.
What about actually driving though? Well, it depends a little on what kind of car you drive. Rear wheel drive cars will struggle more with snow, especially on inclines, and will be very happy to oversteer if you are heavy with your right foot. Front wheel drive cars are better, tend to grip a little better and drag you through the snow rather than push, but will be more likely to understeer badly. Finally, AWD cars are the best option. They offer the most off the line traction, although depending on how they are set up, they might also under or oversteer readily.
No matter what you drive, taking it slowly is best. Drive as slowly as you feel you need, although on most ‘surface roads’, in and around town, keeping it below 20 (or even 10) is probably a good idea, depending on the condition of the road. Give other road users as much space as you can – if you need to brake suddenly the more space you’ve got between you the more time you have to react, and to actually come to a stop. If someone is too close behind you, slow down. It’ll reduce the speed both of you are doing, meaning less chance of them careening into the back of you when you need to come to a stop.
When driving, be INCREDIBLY smooth and minimal with all your inputs. Gently apply the brakes or throttle, slowly and smoothly ease the steering wheel round. Sharp inputs will break traction VERY easily, so if you stomp on the brakes you’ll just slide and get ABS. Stomping on the gas will spin your driven wheels, even with low power cars it doesn’t take much. And steering too quickly will have you skidding off the road as you understeer.
If you drive an automatic, kicking your gearbox into manual modes to hold it in a gear is a good idea – letting the car engine brake instead of using the brakes is also a good way to maintain grip especially on hills. For manual cars, try using higher gears to take off. Instead of moving off in 1st like normal, try second or third as there is less torque at the wheels meaning less force to spin the tyres and break traction.
When it comes to braking, brake way, way earlier than you think you need to. It’s better to slowly roll to a stop than skid straight through a red light or out onto a roundabout or junction. This will also help manage traffic behind you.
Finally, hills are something I saw a lot of people struggling with yesterday, so here’s some tips. Do your best to not stop on a hill going up. Wait at the bottom with a bit of a run up until it’s clear, then take as much speed as you can safely control heading up the hill. Don’t stop until you are at the top. Be gentle with the accelerator while on the hill too. Do your best to maintain your speed while not spinning the wheels as you’ll not only lose control but drop speed too. Going down hills is tough too, depending on the incline. For steep hills, roll over the crest barely moving, and keep your brakes lightly on. Obviously, if there is another route you can take with less steep inclines, do.
