Common Mistakes Drivers Make In Snowy Conditions

Do you know what to do in order to drive safer in snowy road conditions? You'd be surprised to know so many drivers do the opposite of what they should do when driving in snowy conditions. Here are some of the biggest mistakes drivers on the road make when snowy weather conditions begin.

1. Thinking Your Four-wheel Drive Makes You Invincible
The biggest mistake a driver can make is to think four-wheel drive allows them to race down the road at top speeds. Remember, while it can help you get through difficult conditions it won't give you the traction you need to brake when it matters most.

2. Not Being Prepared
Many drivers find themselves caught off guard during the winter's first snow. In fact, the most dangerous day to be on the roads is the day after the first snowstorm. Drivers haven't prepared their cars for the weather, and they've probably forgotten their snow driving techniques from last year.

 To ready your car for the winter, check that each of your tires has at least a 6/32-inch (4.8-millimeter) deep tread. All-weather tires can handle most driving conditions, but if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, you should consider purchasing snow tires.

3. Following Too Closely

Many people inexperienced with driving in the snow make a bad habit out of tailing the vehicle in front of them too closely. Like driving too fast, this lessens your reaction time if there's a problem with the vehicle ahead of you and you need to slow down suddenly.
It's recommended that you double your normal distance between cars, giving yourself a minimum braking distance of six seconds. Put another way, for every 10 mph you're traveling, you should give yourself four car lengths of space.

4.  Slamming On The Brakes

When you feel your tires start to slip, it's easy to panic and slam on the brakes. Don't do that as it removes traction from your tires, taking away your ability to control your vehicle.
Once you've lost traction and your wheels are locked up, slamming your brakes won't change the situation. What you should do when you feel yourself begin to skid is ease off the accelerator and let the car slow down on its own. A moving tire means that there is still some traction, which is what you need to steer yourself out of a collision.
 

5. Driving Too Fast

Driving too fast is the biggest snow driving error. Drivers have a bad habit of thinking that once they've reached the highway they're fine to drive at their usual high speed. They couldn't be more wrong. When your car starts to slip and you're heading for a crash, every second counts. Driving too fast reduces the amount of time you have to react and increases the severity of any collision. It also takes four to 10 times longer to brake on icy or snowy pavement than it does on dry asphalt.