Seasonal driving tips — Icy or snowy roads
Summer
vehicle maintenance | Driving
on wet roads | Driving
on icy or snowy roads | Winterizing
your vehicle
- Slow down.
- Accelerate gently and steer smoothly.
- Carefully test your braking and steering at
a very slow speed.
- Allow extra space margins.
- Slow down before curves and corners.
- Go down icy hills in a low gear.
- Avoid passing.
- If your wheels lock, ease off the brakes then
re-apply them to maintain steering control.
How to handle a skid
- You're driving straight and encounter a patch
of black ice.
- The rear of your vehicle skids to the right.
Ease off the accelerator and look and steer smoothly in the direction
you want to go. (In this case, steer to the right.) Don't brake
— this will make the situation worse.
- Now the rear of your vehicle skids to the left.
Overcorrecting in Step 2 likely causes this. Stay off the accelerator
and steer smoothly in the direction you want to go. (In this case,
steer to the left.) Repeat Steps 2 and 3, if necessary, until
you regain control.
- Once you have regained control, proceed with
caution.
Hidden dangers at zero degrees
Hidden dangers include:
- Black ice. Normally, you can't see black
ice. However, if the pavement looks shiny and black instead of
grey-white, be suspicious.
- Shaded areas.
- Bridges and overpasses. Ice tends to
form on them before it does elsewhere.
- Intersections. Car exhaust and packed
snow cause intersections to ice up quickly.
Turn off your cruise control
When the road is slippery, turn off your cruise
control system. Snow, ice, slush or even rain can cause wheel-spin
and loss of control.
The only way to stop this wheel-spin and maintain
control is to immediately reduce power. However, an activated cruise
control system will continue to apply power, keeping the wheels
spinning. By the time you disengage the cruise control, you may
have lost control.
When you're stuck in the snow
If you have the misfortune of getting stuck in
snow, you must first assess the situation. Get out of your vehicle
while being very aware of the traffic around you. Determine if you
can get your vehicle unstuck on your own or if you will require
assistance. If attempting on your own:
- Clean snow away from the drive wheels.
- If possible, enhance the traction to the drive
wheels by using traction mats, old carpets, salt, sand or kitty
litter spread along in the direction of the drive route you plan
to use.
- Make sure the way is clear and accelerate the
vehicle gently. (Do not gun the accelerator causing the tires
to spin rapidly).
- If this doesn't work, you may want to gently
rock the vehicle back and forth by shifting from forward to reverse,
gradually increasing the distance travelled with each rock.
Note: Check your owner's manual prior to beginning
this procedure. If the instructions are different, follow the steps
outlined in your manual.
