Tips for driving in winter conditions
When winter comes it is usually will causes quite a bit of chaos in the traffic. This is true even in areas where people are used to driving in winter conditions. The appearance of snow and ice on the roads, will almost always cause problems and some will be caught by surprise and trying to drive with car tyres that are not meant for winter conditions. Driving on snow and ice can be intimidating even for the most experienced of drivers, even with the correct tyres, i.e. tyres that are approved for winter use and have the Alpine symbol.
Some things to keep in mind when driving in these conditions is that braking distance becomes longer so it is important to increase the distance to the car in front of you. You also have to start braking a lot earlier when you approach crossings and stop signs. In areas where a lot of people have been using their brakes are more prone to become icy and slippery. Probably the most important thing to ensure safe driving is to equip your vehicle with good quality winter tyres which are available either as studded tyres or non-studded tyres. You also have the option of using winter approved all-weather tyres. Those eliminate the need to change between winter and summer tyres. You also don't have to worry about the weather forecast and risk missing putting winter tyres on your vehicle before the winter weather arrives.
It is also important that the winter tyres are in good condition before winter arrives and that they have adequate tread, no less than 4mm in depth. Proper tread helps protect against aqua- and slushplaning due to either rain or slush as deeper channels are needed to move the water or slush away effectively. Aquaplaning occurs when the water on the street can't be effectively removed from the surface it forces a layer of water underneath the tyre, allowing the tyre to plane on the water and a loss of control over the car. If your car starts to plane, there are a few things to keep in mind; do not slam on the brakes, maintain steering in the current direction and take your foot off the accelerator. Most of the time this phenomenon last just for a split second so try not to panic and make use of the above-mentioned advice to regain control of your vehicle.
Another safety tip is to maintain tyres properly inflated, this in addition lowers rolling resistance, decreases fuel consumption and thereby saving on fuel and unhealthy emissions. Other things to keep in mind when driving in snow is to slow down, don’t stop abruptly. Make sure to accelerate and decelerate slowly while remembering to keep a longer distance to the cars in front of you. Never over accelerate uphill as this can cause the tyres to spin on snow covered roads. Even if not experienced driving on snow, following this advice and equipping your car with good quality tyres will help you stay safe while driving in winter.
For more information on winter tyres, visit https://www.nokiantyres.com/















