Tips for Safe Driving on Snow and Ice:
The best way to survive a skid on a snowy road is to avoid getting in one. Most of this article will be about how to remain in control when you're driving on snow- and ice-plagued highways. That's because teaching drivers to successfully deal with a sliding car can't be done with words. Developing those skills demands many hours behind the wheel.
If you don't (or can't) avoid a skid and your car starts sliding or spinning, and you're not already a near expert, nothing I can say will help. Humans do not rise to the occasion. Rather, we fall to our level of training and experience. But I will offer a few tips on how to gain that training and experience.
To rephrase Lee Greenwood's patriotic country anthem, "God Bless the USA," I've battled snow- and ice-covered roads from the prairie of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee; across the plains of Colorado, from the U.P. of Michigan down to Dallas. From Connecticut to California, sea to shining sea. I've faced snowy roads behind the wheel of 18-wheelers, cars, pickups and SUVs. I've performed hundreds of tire tests on snow-covered roads, attended snow-driving schools, conducted vehicle comparison tests on snowy roads, and done precision driving in the snow for photos and videos.
From this experience, here are some snow driving tips the average driver can follow to reduce the chances of a crash.
The Best Tip
In the face of really bad weather, it's sometimes best to stay home, or, if you're traveling, grab a motel room if it starts to snow. At the least, remain where you are until snowplows and sanding crews have done their work. If you crash on a snowy or icy road, you'll certainly be late — or worse.
An example: When my wife and I were newlyweds living in Dallas, I was surprised to see her getting ready to go out the door after an overnight winter storm.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"To work," she said, her tone conveying the fact that she realized she'd married an idiot.
"It snowed last night," I said.
"I'm from Colorado," she said with pride (or arrogance — still hard to tell). "I can drive in snow."
"These folks are from Texas," I said. "They can't."
We turned on the radio to discover the newsperson frantically urging people to stay put: Every freeway in the Metroplex was closed. Sometimes, you have to stay where you are.
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