During the winter months, conditions for even the most experienced of drivers can prove challenging – whether that’s wintery showers with a skid risk or heavy rain with a potential for aquaplaning.
For most of the UK driving in snow and ice is a rarer occurrence that requires more care and attention. There are many steps you can take in order to make journeys in these conditions safer and a far less stressful experience when the weather turns colder.
During harsh winter conditions, it is essential to prepare in advance of seasonal changes in the weather if you live in an area that is remote, sees snowfall or icy conditions. This will allow you to continue to travel safely in most eventualities. There are a few key steps you can take to prepare prior to getting on the road:
Once your car is ready to face the elements, it is crucial as the driver to understand how to drive safely on snow and ice:
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Driving in snow and wintery showers can often be a challenging time for many drivers – whether it’s a bright day of fresh snow or driving in snow at night. Aside from checking your vehicle and tyres are in the best condition for winter, the following advice for driving in snow can make the journey safer and less daunting:
General advice on preparation and driving style in snow and ice applies to both manual and automatic vehicles. When driving an automatic in snow, although the gears may not be applicable is it is still advised to drive cautiously.
A manual car can be easier to drive in wintery conditions as gears are controlled by the driver – making it easier to pull off in second gear to minimise wheel spin and gain momentum on the snow. Knowing how to drive a manual in snow using the gears to the driver’s advantage can make a difference in gaining momentum safely.
It is widely recommended to drive either an all-wheel (AWD) or front wheel drive (FWD) vehicle in the snow to provide maximum traction. It is possible to drive a rear wheel drive (RWD) car with little trouble in the snow but it is recommended to be more cautious.
FWD cars have the benefit of the weight of the engine being over the drive wheels which helps to keep the wheels firmly on the ground and push through the snow with little wheel spin. RWD vehicles tend to have an empty boot space over the drive wheels – which means the wheels struggle for traction in snow without the additional weight of an engine. Due to the weight distribution in a RWD car, wheels can often spin in opportunities where FWD cars would not have an issue. There is also the additional risk of fishtailing in a RWD vehicle, this occurs when a the driver turns the wheel whilst accelerating, causing the rear wheels to push the car into a difficult spin.
Although there are additional risks driving a RWD over a FWD car in the snow, it is possible to drive safely as long as the driver takes additional precautions and is aware of the risk.
Although it is commonly believed that all wheel or 4 wheel drive vehicles are better in snow, it is more to do with the contact between the tyres gaining traction on the snow. 4 wheel drive can help a vehicle to move in the snow because there is a higher chance of traction with all four wheels moving.
The traction then helps the efficacy of the all wheel drive train. A 4 wheel drive will not provide any additional safety when it comes to braking or steering – this is all dependent on driver behaviour.
The best advice for gaining traction in snow and ice is to use winter or all season tyres that are designed to provide additional traction and grip in temperatures below 7°c.
