Driving can be difficult during winter and if by any chance you live in an area where snow always falls, you will see other drivers struggling to get their cars home safely. You may even have come across drivers that seem to be overconfident of their skills and wondered if they will arrive at their destinations safely. One thing that is constant in this scenario is that you do not want to be in their shoes to find out.
These tips have been carefully crafted through several winter driving experiences and they are designed to get both you and your car home in one piece.
- ALWAYS DRIVE SMOOTHLY: one of the crucial tips to driving safely in winter is not pushing your steering to the limit. It is also important that you are careful of how you handle the brakes and accelerator. This is because tyres that have a strong grip on ice often have their grip unstuck by jerky movements. This implies that you have to smoothly push the brakes, open the throttle and turn your wheels. Your handling of the vehicle must be gradual and gentle. It may help to imagine that you have a cup of hot coffee on your lap. This way, you will need to be extremely careful to avoid spilling the coffee all over yourself. Learn more about this from Eyeride.
- SET YOUR GAZE FAR AHEAD: it is important that you look ahead as far as possible. In fact, you will need to look further in proportion to how slippery the road is. This will give you enough room to anticipate every challenge you may come across. It will also give you enough time to plan how to avoid or manage them. For example, you will need to slow down a lot to take turns. Keep in mind that your brakes may not be as effective as they would be on a non-slippery surface. Hence, it is important that you give your brakes enough room to slow down your car sufficiently before approaching the turn. You pay attention when driving on a road covered with snow. So, it is imperative that you keep your mind on the road.
- PAY ATTENTION TO FLASHING LIGHTS: It is important that you understand the amount of traction that you have on a road that is covered with snow. To avoid getting in trouble, you will need to find out before you hit a serious challenge. This implies that you need to learn the meaning of a specific amber warning light shown on your instrument cluster. This light shows squiggly lines behind the outline of a vehicle. The stability control system of the vehicle will warn you when you are accelerating on a slippery floor by flashing. It is important that you pay attention to these warnings to safely arrive at your destination. In other words, you should take your feet off the accelerator until the tyres of your car regain their grip.
Driving safely during winter is achievable if you pay attention to the tips stated above.
