During the winter months in Britain, many drivers face the potential prospect of having to drive in icy or even snowy conditions. While such conditions can be challenging to drive in, you can minimise the risk with the right preparation. Here are our tips for staying safe while driving in snow and ice.
Before you drive
There are numerous checks you can make to your car which are worthwhile before setting off on snowy and icy roads.
Your tyres, for instance, are worth checking to see if they have adequate tread to cope with the conditions. Tyres that are in a poor state will not grip on the roads which will already be trickier to drive on compared to when the climate is dry and warm.
To get more grip on snowy and icy conditions, it's worth considering investing in winter tyres. When compared to summer tyres, they are designed to work better in such conditions and even just when the temperature is cold.
For when there’s thick snow about, you could also invest in some snow socks for your car. These stretchy fabric covers can be slipped over the two driven wheels of your car to boost traction and can be easily kept in the boot when not in use.
Speaking of keeping things in your car, there are other items you can make a list of that are worth carrying onboard at all times when its winter to prepare for all eventualities. This list can include de-icer, an ice scraper, a blanket, shovel, phone charger, a map of the roads and a torch (wind-up rather than battery-operated). A pair of sunglasses in the car can also keep in handy in case you’re driving when the sun is low.
Another simple but useful thing to do is check the top of your car if it’s snowy or has been snowing recently. Remove the snow on top of your car if there’s a lot of it, because if you brake sharply at some point while driving later, the snow could fall onto the windscreen and obstruct your view.
Even when there’s snow and ice about, it’s simply a good idea to allow yourself more time to check and prepare your car is ready for drive than you would if the conditions were better.
On the roads
Most of the most popularly mentioned tips for driving in snow and ice may seem self-explanatory, but they should never be forgotten.
When it comes to moving off, it’s always important to accelerate gently, make good use of low revs and change to a higher gear as quickly as possible. If you’re having trouble moving away, and you’re in a manual car, then try and pull away in second gear to minimise wheelspin.
When you’re on the move, it’s important to keep steering, acceleration and gear changes all smooth and steadily paced at all times. Keep your speed lower to allow more time for stopping and steering.
When there is another car up front then you should leave a larger gap to it than you would if there wasn’t snow or icy around. You may need to leave as much as ten times the normal recommended gap between you and other cars.
On snowy, non-gritted roads, some drivers may be tempted to drive in the wheel tracks of other vehicles but this can be problematic as compressed snow tends to be icier than fresh snow.
When driving up or down hills make sure you have a clear path ahead if possible so that you can maintain momentum. If you stop halfway while going up a snowy hill than it can be tough to get moving again. When moving downhill, keep the car in a low gear for better control and keep plenty of distance between you and other cars in the same lane.
Even when you’re really careful, your car can end up skidding on snow and ice. If this does happen, gently steer into the skid. So, for example, if the rear of the car slides to the left, steer to the left.
If during your journey you get stuck in snow, then you’re best getting out of the car and clearing the snow around the wheels as much as possible. Trying to apply more gas and making the wheels spin will probably just make the issue worse. You could try putting something in front of the car for the wheels to grip on to, like an old piece of carpet for instance, to get the vehicle out of tricky spots.