No matter how great you are behind the wheel, winter driving is a different beast. The roads might not be so difficult to tackle if they're not tracked with ice and snow, but whenever the temperatures dip near or below freezing, you'll want to be thoroughly prepared.
So, how should you properly handle a skid? And how can you safely recover from it, even when your front and rear wheels are sliding in different directions? By the time you're finished reading this article, you'll know exactly what not to do, how to better react when yourself in this situation, and how to prepare your vehicle for the winter season.
What You Shouldn't Do
What you shouldn't do when your car starts skidding in the snow is to slam on the brakes. We know it can be hard not to; after all, when your vehicle starts sliding out of your control, your first reaction might be to panic and overcorrect your mistake. But doing this will only make things worse.
The main reason why braking hard doesn't help you regain control when your car skids is because you'll lose traction. If your tires lose all grip, then you'll continue to slide even more, which therefore amplifies the problem.
How to Safely Recover
So, what should you do? To safely recover from a skid, you want to ease your foot off the accelerator and slowly steer in the direction you want your car to go, not where your vehicle is sliding toward. Again, make sure you don't overcorrect. If you do this, you may end up making your situation worse.
How you handle skids also depends on the type. If your front wheels start skidding, the advice is the same as the above: ease off the gas, don't slam on the brakes, and as your wheels regain traction, steer your vehicle where you want it to go. If your rear wheels start skidding, steer your vehicle in the same direction where your rear wheels are sliding. If they're sliding to the right, turn your steering wheel to the right. Remember to avoid braking and to ease off the accelerator.
How to Better Prepare Your Car for Winter
To avoid experiencing skids at all, make sure to prepare your car whenever the cold season hits. You'll first want to have a professional do a full inspection and maintenance check to ensure your vehicle is ready to go (such as checking your lights and cooling system), and then you'll want to swap out your tires for winter ones. If you have all-season tires, they might do the trick, but it's better to have winter tires for better grip. If you stick to regular tires, the rubber may harden in freezing temperatures, and you'll have less traction.
Driving in the winter doesn't have to be impossible. All it takes is the right preparation and knowing how to handle your car when ice or snow momentarily throws it out of control. The most important thing? Drive slow—and remember that safety always comes first.
