Stay Safe This Season With These 6 Tips For Driving In Winter Weather

Winter is making its swift approach and we all know that with the colder temperatures often comes the dreaded snow. Sure, snow is great if you don’t have anywhere to go but unfortunately, we all end up having to drive in it at some point. Driving in snow is dangerous and our team at West Chevrolet is Knoxville, TN wants you to get to your destination safely. Check out our tips for driving in the winter weather:

Clear snow and ice off of your car before driving

Snow left on your car causes problems for you and the drivers around you, so it is essential to de-ice your vehicle before you hit the road. If snow is left on your windshield, it blocks your view while creating tons of blind spots. If snow is on the roof of your car, it may slide down while driving, completely blocking your view or fly back and create trouble for the cars behind you.

Reduce speed

Tires have severely reduced grip of the road in icy and snowy conditions. Reducing your speed gives you more control and time to react if slippage occurs. Should things go wrong, slower speeds also lead to a lessened impact.

Accelerating, braking and turning should all be separate actions

Attempting to brake while turning or accelerate while turning is the recipe for disaster in snowy conditions. Always be sure to slowly apply the brakes while the vehicle is still going straight and gently (very gently!) accelerate when making the turn.

Longer braking distance

Keeping a good distance from the vehicle ahead of you, and be sure to apply the brakes earlier than you would in dry conditions. Also, use much less pressure on the brakes than you normally would. Locking your wheels will cause the vehicle to slide or skid.

Steer into a skid

Should the rear of your vehicle begin to slide while you’re making a turn, do not panic! Stay calm, let your foot off of the accelerator and steer your vehicle in the direction of the slide. This will keep you in control.

Just because the road looks clear, doesn’t mean it is safe

Just because a road looks clear of snow does not mean that is clear of danger. Black ice, a layer of ice on the road typically mistaken for wet pavement, is often found on bridges, overpasses and shaded parts of the road. According to one study, trying to stop on black ice takes nine times longer than normal, leaving no room for error if you happen to come across it. Keep in mind that if the road is wet and temperatures are below 32 degrees, freezing will occur.