We still have some time left before winter starts, but the temperatures are starting to drop, and driving in snow is a challenge even for the most experienced drivers. That’s why it is important for us to prepare for such conditions in advance, being ready in case we have to drive on a snowy day. We all know that we need to be particularly careful of our speed, but unfortunately, this isn’t all it takes to keep safe when driving in snow.
Get to Know Your Brakes
One of the most difficult aspects of driving in snow is dealing with slippery roads, which is why we need to pay attention to speed limits. However, we should also become really familiar with our brakes, being familiar with how exactly they work. This is because braking systems are different for each manufacturer, so we need to know how our brakes work specifically, and especially with snowy conditions. If we have anti-lock brakes, for example, we only need to press the brake pedal as hard as possible, and the system will take care of slowing down the car gradually.
Don’t Rely on All-Wheel Drive
Another important aspect we need to keep in mind is when we are using an all-wheel drive. Most of us consider four-wheel traction systems to be superior, as these systems come with many benefits, including having more control of the vehicle. Nonetheless, we need to remember that all-wheel drive won’t really help us stop faster than when using front or rear-wheel traction. Instead of relying on all-wheel-drive, we must be aware of our speed, watch for other motorists, and braking properly.
Try to Keep Rolling
Even when it might sound counterintuitive at first, when driving in snow we should try to keep rolling instead of completely stopping at every crossing and traffic light. Instead of stopping, experts suggest we should keep a steady pace when we approach stoplights, turns, and crossings. When we fully stop and want to get the car moving again, we will need an extra amount of force to achieve this, and this can make our tires spin out of control. Therefore, we must try to keep some amount of inertia so that we can keep moving after stoplight changes.
Prioritize Visibility
Last but not least, we need to make sure visibility is our priority when driving in snow since reduced visibility represents a serious risk for motoring safety. First of all, we need to make sure we pay attention to headlight performance since they are an important crash avoidance feature. Experts have found that half of the fatalities happen at night, at dusk, or at dawn, when visibility is more limited. Making sure our headlights are working properly and that they have earned good safety ranking ratings. Also, cleaning our windshield as carefully as possible, as well as our mirrors will ensure we can see the road and other motorists clearly, allowing us to avoid causing or suffering a car crash altogether.