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Surviving Winter Roads

Pro driver tips for handling rough weather

To paraphrase Formula 1 World Champion and Indy winner Emerson Fittipaldi: on snowy and icy roads, bad drivers go too slow where the traction is good, and too fast where there's little grip. Here's the key on both the racetrack and winter roads: know where you MUST go slow and where you MAY go fast.

Traction Varies

The first tip for safe winter driving: Traction is not the same everywhere. It changes dramatically both as you drive down the road and, often, laterally within the same lane. A heavily traveled highway may be almost clear, but the off-ramp could be glare ice. Snowy city streets offer a surprising amount of grip, but the area just before a stop sign will be polished as if a Zamboni machine were there before you. Similarly, "wagon-wheel" ruts on an interstate highway can offer grip levels rivaling damp pavement, but move 18 inches to the right or left and the traction drops precipitously. As Fittipaldi might say, go slow in the slow parts and appropriately quickly where it's safe to do so.

Highs and Lows

How do you know where the traction is high and where it is low? Start by looking. Slippery roads usually look slippery. Next, use your memory. If Fittipaldi could memorize the 180-something turns of the Nürburgring's 14.5-mile Nordschleife circuit, you can remember the trouble spots on your regular routes. The place where water streamed across the road during that fall rainstorm is going to be a sheet of ice sometime this winter. How about the bridge where you skidded last February? It's going to be treacherous again this year. When facing a new route, read the road: ice hides in shadows of trees, buildings and hills. Damaged guardrail and marred concrete barriers show where others have had troubles and will again.

Tread Matters

Especially in winter, tires can make a huge difference. An old Camaro on four new, top-quality winter tires will be safer and easily go more places in the snow than a newer four-wheel-drive SUV on half-worn all-season tires. If you will face serious snow, make sure your tires have the rubber industry's "snowflake-on-the-mountain" symbol, which indicates they surpass an industry standard reference tire for snow traction. Also make sure your tires are less than half-worn. If your choice is between new all-season tires or winter tires at 5/32-inch of tread, go with the new all-seasons. Know that tire pressure drops one psi for every 10-degree drop in air temperature.

See and Be Seen

Make sure you can see and be seen. Clear snow from the roof, hood and trunk lid, so the white stuff doesn't blow up or slide down onto the windshield. Remove snow blocking head and taillights. Burn your headlights any time conditions are not perfect and when driving on two-lane roads. Engage your air conditioner on "fresh," not recirculate, to prevent interior fogging. Fit new windshield wipers.

Understand Safety Features

Be warned: Four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and traction control can encourage you to go fast in the slow parts. 4WD, AWD and traction control can ONLY help you go; they can't help you turn or stop. Also, electronic stability control can help prevent you from spinning out, but it can't increase available grip—that's set by the vehicle and its tires.

Braking News

Don't rely on the brakes. When you need stopping power the most, it won't be available: The skidding tires of others polish the places where you will need to slow down. To avoid using the brakes, look far ahead for stop signs, changing stoplights and flashing brake lights. Get off the gas smoothly and coast. Squeeze the brakes gently to avoid skidding. On both racetrack and road, looking far ahead is key.

If you didn't anticipate a slow area and you have anti-lock brakes, slam the pedal to the floor and let the computer try to find some grip. Without ABS, you'll have to rely on the ol' organic computer—you. Mimic ABS: squeeze the brake pedal until the tires lock, but as soon as they do lock release brake pressure until the tires are rolling again. Repeat as necessary.

Bad Scenario

If you find yourself driving too fast in a slow turn and the front tires slide wide of your intended path, get off both the gas and the brakes—as one of these caused the problem in the first place—and adding either will just make the situation worse. Next leave your hands where they are: turning more will not help and if the road surface changes from ice to wet pavement, it may cause your car to dart off the road or into oncoming traffic.

While you can successfully REACT to a front-tire skid, you must ANTICIPATE a rear-tire skid. Words can't help you do this. The best advice we can give: spend $100 at your local "slick track" go-kart track.

Boy Scout Motto

Make like a Boy Scout: be prepared to get stuck or have a crash. Properly placed road flares may prevent secondary crashes. Don't stand between traffic and a wrecked car—it's likely someone else will make the same mistake you did. A bag of kitty litter might help you get going on icy patches. A folding shovel may allow you to dig out of a snow bank. A tow strap will allow a friend with 4WD to pull you out. Hook to a tow hook or the vehicle's frame or you might tear off the bumper. A sleeping bag, a space blanket, and a few of the largest size of chemical hand warmers will allow you to survive until help arrives.

Finally, rest assured that winter won't last forever.