14 useful tips for driving in the snow

Driving in snow requires increased caution, preparation, and specialized techniques to maintain control and safety. Below are 14 useful tips for navigating winter conditions, based on expert advice…

1. Clear all snow and ice before you move

Snow on the roof, bonnet (hood), lights, mirrors, and windows becomes a visibility and safety problem the moment the car starts rolling. It can slide onto the windscreen under braking, blow onto the car behind, or block brake lights and indicators. Spend the extra minute to clear the whole vehicle, not just a small peephole on the glass.

Start with the roof and work down so you do not re-cover areas you already cleaned. Brush loose snow first, then scrape bonded ice. Clear the number plate too, especially in the UK, where plate visibility is a common enforcement target in winter.

2. Slow down and keep every input smooth

Snow driving is all about keeping the tyres (tires) inside the grip they actually have. Speed multiplies every problem. Steering, braking, and acceleration all ask the tyre to do work, and a tyre on snow has a small margin before it slides.

Drop your speed well below the limit and drive at a pace that lets you make one decision at a time. Think in wide, gentle arcs rather than quick turns. If you feel the car start to float, push wide, or react late, that is the road telling you to back off before it decides for you.

3. Increase following distance to at least 8 to 10 seconds

Stopping distances in snow stretch fast, even at modest speeds. Following closely removes your only real safety tool, time. An 8 to 10 second gap gives you space to brake gently and to deal with the car ahead losing control.

Use roadside markers to measure it. Pick a sign, count to ten after the vehicle ahead passes it, then check where you are. If you reach the marker before your count ends, back off.

4. Brake early and brake lightly

Snow rewards early planning. If you brake late, you end up braking hard, and hard braking is how wheels lock and slides start. Begin braking sooner than normal and apply pressure gradually so the tyres stay rolling.

If your car has ABS, you will feel pulsing through the pedal in a true slip event. Keep steady pressure and let ABS do its job. If your car does not have ABS, ease off slightly at the first sign of lock up and re apply gently.

5. Accelerate like you are carrying a full cup of coffee

Wheelspin is wasted traction. It does not move you forward, it just polishes the snow into a low grip layer and can swing the car sideways. Squeeze the throttle slowly, especially when pulling away, turning, or climbing.

If the drive wheels spin, lift off and try again with less throttle. On very slick surfaces, it can help to start rolling with almost no throttle, then build speed once the car is straight and stable.

6. Use a higher gear to pull away in a manual

First gear delivers the most torque at the wheels, which is great on dry tarmac and awful on snow. In a manual car, second gear starts reduce wheel torque and help the tyres stay hooked up.

Use gentle clutch release and minimal throttle. If the car bogs down, add a touch more throttle rather than dropping back to first. The goal is controlled motion, not quick motion.

7. Do not use cruise control on snow or ice

Cruise control maintains speed by adding throttle. On a slippery surface, that extra throttle can arrive at the worst moment, right as a tyre hits a patch of ice or the road cambers away. The system cannot feel the road through the seat the way you can.

Keep full control of throttle input yourself. That lets you ease off instantly when traction drops, and it reduces the chance of a sudden, unplanned surge of power.

8. Learn the right skid response before you need it

Skids feel dramatic, yet most recoveries are simple if you react early. The first move is to stay calm and stop feeding the slide. Ease off the accelerator and look where you want the car to go, not at the hazard you are trying to miss.

If the rear steps out, steer into the direction the rear is sliding, then unwind the steering smoothly as the car straightens. Sudden opposite lock followed by panic braking often turns a small slide into a spin. Keep movements measured and let the tyres regain grip.

9. Use low gears on descents to control speed

Downhill snow driving is where many loss of control events start. Gravity adds speed, and brakes alone can overwhelm available grip. A lower gear lets the engine hold the car back so the tyres are not asked to do all the slowing.

In an automatic, select a lower range if available. In a manual, downshift early while the car is straight and stable, then let engine braking help you maintain a safe pace. Braking still happens, just in smaller, gentler applications.

10. Keep momentum on hills and avoid stopping mid-slope

Starting from a stop on a snowy incline is hard on traction and can lead to wheelspin and sideways drift. The safest plan is to approach hills with a steady, controlled pace and keep the car moving.

Leave extra space to the vehicle ahead before the hill starts. That buffer lets you keep rolling if traffic slows. If you must stop, restart with minimal throttle and steer as straight as possible until you regain stable forward motion.

11. Treat black ice zones as high risk

Black ice is thin, clear, and hard to spot, especially at night or when the surface looks only slightly wet. It forms easily on bridges, overpasses, shaded stretches, and areas with cold air flow underneath the road.

If you see glossy pavement or a wet look in freezing conditions, assume ice. Reduce speed before you reach it, avoid sharp steering inputs, and avoid braking on the suspect patch. Let the car roll through with light throttle and a steady wheel.

12. Use the right tyres and confirm tread depth

Tyre grip is the foundation of every other tip. Summer tyres harden in cold weather and lose traction. Winter tyres use a compound that stays flexible in low temperatures and have siping that bites into snow.

Check tread depth with a gauge. A practical minimum for snow driving is 3 mm, and more is better. Also check pressures when the tyres are cold, as winter temperature swings drop pressure and reduce the tyre’s contact patch stability.

13. Keep your fuel level at least half full

A half-full tank gives you options. It reduces the chance of fuel line moisture issues, provides more run time if you get delayed, and keeps the fuel pump cooler in many designs where the pump sits in the tank.

For petrol (gas) and diesel vehicles alike, winter delays can turn a short trip into a long wait. Having fuel to run the engine for heat in short intervals can be a real safety advantage if you are stuck or diverted.

14. Pack an emergency kit and know how to get unstuck

Snow driving is partly skill and partly preparation. An emergency kit turns a bad situation into an inconvenient one. Include an ice scraper, snow brush, shovel, warm blanket or sleeping bag, gloves, torch (flashlight), water, snacks, and a phone charger or power bank.

If you get stuck, do not spin the wheels. Spinning digs the tyres into a deeper hole and turns snow into a slick surface. Straighten the steering, clear packed snow from in front of the tyres, then try gentle rocking, forward then reverse, building a small amount of motion each time. Add traction under the drive wheels using sand, kitty litter, traction mats, or even your car mats placed ahead of the tyres.

Snow driving comes down to time, space, and preparation, and taking those seriously is one of the simplest ways to get everyone home in one piece.

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