A Guide To Driving In The Snow Safely

A: Olivia Hall

We’ve had more snow in the North West today, and this can cause problems for motorists – and can even lead to accidents. With this in mind, it is vital that you prepare yourself and your car adequately, before setting off to drive anywhere in the snow. It is not only worth knowing how to prepare yourself and your vehicle, you should also consider a different driving approach when faced with snowy weather too.

The following tips should help to make driving in the snow safer.

Before you drive in the snow

#1 Plan your journey

Before you set off in the car, make sure you have planned your journey carefully. Think about any places along your route that may be exposed or prone to flooding, and perhaps consider a different route to avoid these areas. You should also keep up to date with the latest weather announcements as well, to make sure you are not caught by surprise when you are on route.

#2 Allow more time

Make sure you allow more time for your journey even if it is a journey, you have done many times. Not only will your actual journey probably take longer in bad weather, but you will need additional time to complete tasks such as clearing the roof of your car of snow, cleaning your windows of snow and ice, and defrosting your back window. After all, driving with snow on your car can mean you are breaking the law.

It is also a good idea to carry a lock de-icer with you, in case you need to deice your lock. If your locks do get frozen and you don’t have a lock de-icer, then you can try using an oil-based lubricant or de-icer on the lock, or warming your key up.

 #3 Check your windscreen wipers

Make sure your auto-wiper is switched off before you turn your ignition on as this could cause you to blow a fuse if your wipers are frozen.  You should make sure your wipers are in good working order before you set off, as you will need them to help keep your screen clean.

#4 Check your tyres

Make sure your tyres have adequate tread on them, as poor tyres will not be able to grip well when driving on snow or ice.

If you live in an area where snow is common, you may want to consider swapping your tyres of deeper tread ones – so-called winter tyres.

If conditions on the road are really bad, and you definitely need to drive, then you may also want to use snow chains or snow socks on your tyres.

#5 Check your screen wash

Use a good quality screen wash that protects down to at least minus 35 degrees, to ensure the water does not freeze. If you don’t then your windscreen wipers could become useless in frozen conditions.

#6 Pack for the worst scenario

You should be prepared for all eventualities, meaning your car should be equipped with the following items:

• Blanket - to keep you warm in case of breakdown
• De-icer
• Demisting pad
• First aid kit
• Hi-vis vest – to help keep you visible if you do break down en-route
• Ice scraper
• Jump leads
• Map
• Phone charger
• Shovel
• Some food and drink – just in case
• Spare screen wash
• Torch (a wind-up one so you don’t run out of battery)
• Warning triangle

Driving in snow

When driving in snow you should:

• Make sure you are wearing comfortable and dry footwear
• Accelerate gently, change up to a higher gear as soon as possible, and keep your revs low
• Move off in second gear instead of first, as this will help reduce the possibility of wheel slip. You should also look to see if your car has a “winter mode” as this does the same thing
• Keep a good distance between you and the car in front, as much as up to 10 times the normal gap is recommended
• Use a low fear for going downhill and try to avoid braking unless necessary
• Prepare for driving uphill by leaving plenty of room in front of you, so that you can maintain a steady speed
• When you approach a bend, brake before you start turning the wheel. If your car does lose grip as you go around a corner, then take your foot off the accelerator and make sure your wheels are now pointing in the direction you want to go
• If you do skid, then don’t slam on the brakes or take your hands off the steering wheel. Instead steer gently into it – for example, if your car is sliding to the left then steer left
• Make sure you use dipped headlights when driving in snow not daytime driving lights, as these don’t always put lights on at the rear of your car
• If the road you are driving on has not been gritted, then be wary of driving in the tracks of other vehicles as compressed snow can be really slippery to drive on

Cartime is one of the North West’s largest and fastest growing independent car supermarkets. You can browse our wide range of used cars online, or head to one of our showrooms to find out more.