Tips For Driving In Snow

The idea of snow always seems magical in theory; it reminds us of the holidays and baking cookies and family time. But the reality of snow is that it is cold and slippery and a total nightmare to drive in. Wrench has compiled some tips that will hopefully ease your anxiety as a driver if you do find yourself having to navigate the perils of this beautiful yet dangerous phenomenon. Our Wrench mobile mechanics are here to make sure that your car is in the best shape to endure the upcoming winter, and we encourage you to follow these tips if you find yourself driving in the snow.

1. Don’t. If the weather is really bad, it is in your best interest to avoid driving if possible. Whether this means postponing your trip, getting a hotel for the night, or working from home, it is always better to be late than not make it at all. If it is necessary that you must drive, follow the following tips and be careful.
2. Be prepared! Call Wrench to have one of our ASE certified mechanics check out your vehicle to make sure it is prepared to handle the winter weather. Always try to have a full tank of gas (or close), because if you get stuck somewhere with the tank nearing empty, you will not be able to turn on the heat to stay warm inside of the car. It is also a good idea to have an emergency kit in your car in the event that you get stuck for several hours before help can reach you. Before embarking on a trip, make sure to let someone know where you are going so they can keep tabs on your progress and call for help if needed.
3. Drive reallllll slow. Like, slower than you think. Once you think you are driving slow, drive slower. In this case, slow and steady wins the race. There is no prize for getting to your destination the fastest when it is snowing, and your boss will understand if you are an hour late (they are also probably behind schedule). This is the best thing you can do if the roads are bad, because it will make it easier to stop and help you avoid skidding. It will decrease your likelihood of an accident and make everyone else on the road feel safer. Just drive slow, you won’t regret it.
4. Know your brakes. Brakes are different on every car, and it is important that you are on a first-name basis with yours. Getting comfortable with the way your brakes work is a good thing to do before it starts to snow so that you know how they will respond to you when you need them most. If you find yourself needing to brake and activate ABS, stomp on the pedal, keep your foot pressed down firmly, and steer where you want to go. Avoid jerky steering or extreme turns, because a small turns can go a long way in a snow-related emergency.
5. Personal space is key. Stay much farther behind the vehicle in front of you than you normally would (6-10 seconds instead of 3-4). More space is better than less space because it will give you more time to slow down or stop and avoid a collision with the car ahead of you.
6. All-wheel drive won’t save you. AWD provides forward traction, which helps you to start driving in snow and can keep you moving, but it won’t help you much more when you hit black ice. You will still have to brake properly and drive slow, so it is not a good idea to expect that AWD will do all of the work. Make sure you have educated yourself on how to best navigate your car if you hit a patch of ice.
7. Avoid stopping on ice and snow. Doing so can make it harder to get your car moving again and can increase your chances of slipping.
8. Give your tires some love. As the temperatures start to drop, check your tire pressure often because cold weather can reduce your tire pressure, which could lead to a blowout. Additionally, you want to make sure that your tires can endure this weather at all. If you are unsure about the state of your tires, call a Wrench mobile mechanic to do an at-home inspection to determine whether they can handle the winter. If you live in a place where it snows often, you may want to invest in snow (or all-weather) tires or chains. Having great tires can make driving in difficult climates much easier.
9. Check your exhaust pipe. Make sure that your exhaust pipe has been cleared of any snow, mud, or ice. Failing to do so could result in deadly carbon monoxide leaking into the vehicle. This is an easy problem to avoid but should not be written off as unimportant!
10. Make sure everything is up to date. This means checking your fluid levels and refilling if necessary, ensuring that your brakes are in great shape, and that your battery will last you through the winter. Hire a mobile mechanic to inspect your vehicle at your home and winterize it if necessary.
11. Accelerate and decelerate slowly. This goes along with driving slow, but it is never a good idea to gun it or slam on the brakes in snowy weather. You are asking for your vehicle to lose traction, which could lead to an accident.
12. Avoid cruise control. Keeping cruise control off will help you stay alert and can help you avoid an accident when driving on ice or snow. When your vehicle starts to slide, this can actually cause cruise control to speed up (read: bad).
13. Steer into the skid. If you feel yourself starting to skid the worst thing to do is slam on your brakes and over-steer to compensate for your vehicle losing control. Instead, gently steer into the skid and slowly accelerate to regain control. To reiterate a previous tip, a little bit of steering goes a long way, so do not be tempted to whip your wheel in one direction.

Safety is the top priority at all times when operating a vehicle, but this becomes even more important when the weather conditions worsen. Use these tips as a guide for driving in the snow, but remember that it is always okay to stay home if you are feeling anxious about driving. Trust yourself as a driver and know what the best decision is for you personally.