Driving Tips & Hints for Low Vision & Disabled Drivers

See Me Drive > Low Vision Driving > How to Drive in the Snow and Winter - Winter Driving Tips

How to Drive in the Snow and Winter - Winter Driving Tips

Driving a car during the winter presents many challenges to drivers because of snow, ice, shorter hours with sunlight, glare... SeeMeDrive.com presents some tips and hints for driving in the snow and ice that should prove beneficial to drivers.

When I first obtained my driver's license it was fairly easy to learn how to drive as I was driving during the summer months. However, as the summer months gave way to winter I noticed that the sun was lower on the horizon making it a bit more challenging to see. Eventually snowfall started and I was forced to learn how to drive in snow and ice whether I liked it or not. Let's look at a few of these unique driving situations and I'll tell you what I learned.

Freezing Weather and Your Car

As the weather gets colder it starts having detrimental affects on your car's tires, batteries and assorted moving parts like door locks and windows. Colder weather changes the hardness and gripping ability of automobile tires. In the summer the rubber is soft and aids in gripping, but as the temperature goes below 40 degrees Fahrenheit the rubber compounds begin to harden reducing traction. Even if the temperature has not gone below freezing, the tire's ability to grip becomes compromised and you must adjust your driving style by slowing down especially on curves and turns as well as bridges and overpasses. Doors, windows, locks and side mirrors can become frozen or difficult to use because of freezing temperature or build up of ice and snow. This is where carrying a Lock De-icer can save the day. Whether it's a spray on De-Icer or an ice-scraper with a built in lock de-icer just make sure to keep it handy. Even keeping a book of matches can help in heating your keys to help open that lock.

Please don't overlook your car battery. Cold temperatures reduce the chemical reactions necessary to provide electricity and a cold engine requires more effort to turnover which is why so many car batteries fail in the winter. If your car battery is more than 4-5 years old or have been having issues with it in the warmer days then you should go out and buy a new one without haste as it's only a matter of time before it leaves you stranded somewhere. A fully charged portable jump starter is a very helpful item to keep in your trunk as you won't have to look for someone with another car and jumper/booster cables. You simply clip the two clamps to your car battery for a few minutes and then start your car.

Snow Tires or All-Season Tires?

In order to drive safely and reliably in roads with snow and ice, your car must have the proper tires. Before you even consider taking your car out in snow make sure you have decent tires that do well in rain or snow. This point can't be underestimated as poor handling, tread worn or summer tires will make it downright unsafe to drive whereas good snow tires or at least all season tires can mean the difference between driving and not. Generally speaking, there are three types of automobile tires with the last being the best for winter driving in snow and ice:

• Summer tires


• All-season tires


• Snow tires

Under no circumstances should you attempt to drive in ice or snow with a summer rated car tire. A summer tire's rubber compound and tread is designed for performance cars under warm temperatures and smooth road conditions. The rubber will actually harden in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and will not be able to provide the needed friction. In addition, the tread will not be able to push aside snow or to provide adequate grip. I've tried doing it and it was a scary experience as my Volkswagen GLI came from the factory with 225/45R17 size Bridgestone summer performance tires. They were awesome in the dry summer as they had amazing gripping power on curves at highway speeds, but even in the lightest of snow or freezing rain they simply slid all over the place.

The next type of car tire and perhaps the most popular is the All-Season or Multi-Season tire. It provides a tread and rubber compound that works well under a variety of conditions, but not extremes. If you live in an area that only gets occasional snowfall or don't do much driving in heavy snow or ice, then all-season tires like the Michelin Pilot Sport AS Plus are a great choice. Many drivers prefer goodyear tires for road grip and they offer a full range to choose from. If you find yourself having to drive in deep snow then for a temporary measure you can slip Snow Chains on your tires to provide extra traction, but you'll need to keep your speed under 30 miles per hour.

Snow tires are the defacto standard anyplace that gets substantial snowfall as their profile, tread and rubber composition are made specifically to provide the ultimate in handling, traction, braking and being able to push aside snow and ice. Snow tires are an extra expense and requires having to swap tires twice a year, but are the safest and preferred choice for icy and snowy roads or if you must drive long distances.

Your choice in car tires depends on the region that you live in and the amount and extent of driving that you do. Keep in mind that snow chains on your regular or all season car tires are not a replacement for real snow tires as chains can't be used on dry pavement so they will need to be placed on and off based on the road conditions.

How To Drive In the Snow

Driving in the snow presents a serious challenge to new and experienced drivers and the only way to get over any fears of driving in the snow is to practice and understand how your car reacts while you drive it in the snow. As I said earlier, I learned to drive in the summer so when the snow arrived I just took the car out and learned on my own. I drove the car around my neighborhood, which was empty of traffic and just experimented accelerating, braking at all different pressures to see how the car would react such as if it swerved, how much it skid... It was truly an eye-opening experience as the car handled completely different than in the summer. I won't lie, it was nerve racking at first, but I soon learned the car's traits and adjusted my grip on the steering wheel, how much gas I gave the car when pulling out of a stoplight or from an uphill start, how to brake and how to control the car when it started to skid-which it did! Biggest advice you'll hear from me is, SLOW DOWN and do everything from braking, accelerating and steering in slow and steady movements!

You can easily learn how to drive in the snow by taking your car along with a skilled driver to an empty parking lot and practice. Don't be afraid to try the brakes with varying pressures as you need to know how the car will react in a panic stop. Try pressing down on the accelerator using varying degrees of pressure to see how the car reacts or skids on you. Better to have the car skid out from under you in an empty parking lot than on the highway at rush hour. I even purposely swerved the car to make it slide so I could learn how to bring it back in line and the trick is to not hit the brakes and turn the wheel gently so as to get the car back in line. If the back of your car starts to slide to the right, gently turn your wheel just a little to the right and it should correct itself. What you don't want to do is hit the brakes. Above all: never panic. Just look at where you want to go and make deliberate and controlled moves instead of jerking the wheel around as you'll easily lose control.

How to Handle Decreased Visibility Because of Snow

When the snow starts coming down all those lane markings you took for granted have suddenly disappeared and now the entire surface is white. You'll find yourself asking, how do I drive if I can't see the lines or the edge of the road? One needs to be extra vigilant when driving in these conditions as it's easy to become disoriented.

This is where knowing the width of your car and its relation to the road are key skills to develop. Look ahead at your intended travel path and take notice of the guardrails or utility poles on the side of the road and try and position yourself. Also make note of other vehicles as that will give you an idea of scale. Try to create an imaginary line through the road keeping those guardrails and other object as reference. It's hard to explain, but you'll soon get it when behind the wheel. It's important that you not focus directly in front of you, but take in as far ahead a view as possible as that is what helps you stay oriented. Driving in fresh snow is the hardest as there may not be a clear path in the road, but do try to seek tire tracks from others before you as a rough guide.

The Sun is In My Eyes!

Dealing with the sun because it sits lower on the horizon during the winter months and the glare from wet snowy pavements during the day was an unexpected surprise. It would be ridiculously bright out and everything was wet and very shiny. Every surface was throwing off reflections and glare. Another issue that no one seems to mention is now that the leaves have fallen off the trees, one gets a pulsating strobe-like effect while driving past trees with the sun behind them. I will sometimes take my left arm and put it up on the window sill of the car while placing my hand beside my left eye to block the annoying flashes. I can then easily slide my hand to view traffic beside me and make lane changes. In addition, if the intensity of the flashes of bright light really bother, another great option is to slow down enough so that the flashes are not as rapid-fire like a strobe.

Of course a must have solution is to wear polarized sunglasses especially ones like the inexpensive yet highly effective Cocoons wraparounds that fit over your eyeglasses. Also keep car windows scrupulously clean both inside and out to reduce reflections and glare. Of course use your car's sun visors or install sun guards and shades to help with the extra glare. The sun and glare will be an issue so arm yourself and be prepared.

Windshield Washer Fluid

You will go through tons of windshield washer fluid so make sure you carry extra gallons in your trunk and keep the reservoir topped off. After a snowfall you won't be able to drive without constantly cleaning your windshield because of all the slush getting thrown up and can easily use up an entire tank in one trip. Spend the extra pennies and buy the name brands such as Rain-X as the generic stuff you see piled up in stacks at the gas station just streaks and easily freezes over and you'll end up using more of it anyway.

Winter Driving Recap

• Have the proper tires for the road conditions


• Know your car and how it reacts


• Learn how to handle your car under varying road conditions


• Avoid sudden movements, acceleration or braking


• SLOW DOWN!













Your Comments:

Leave a reply »

 




 

• Add Your Comment

   

  Name *

   

  Email *

   

  Please share your driving experiences and tips so that we may all help one another.

  Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

  Remember me
   
 

Featured Driving Articles

Driving Tips

1. How to Drive in the Snow and Winter - Winter Driving Tips
2. How to Reduce Glare on Car Windows
3. How to Drive on a Highway Without Fear
4. The Pros and Cons of Driving A Car With A Sunroof Or Convertible Top
5. Using Your Car's Sun Visors to Reduce Glare
6. Mastering Driving With One Hand

Tips to Save Gas

1. Driving Tips To Save Gas [1]
2. Driving Tips To Save Gas [2]
3. Driving Tips To Save Gas [3]
4. Car-Free and Gas Saving Alternatives
5. Buying a Hybrid | Fuel-Efficient Car
6. Saving at the Pump | Find the Cheapest Gas Prices
7. Gas Saving Car Care | Maintenance Tips [1]
8. Gas Saving Car Care | Maintenance Tips [2]

Low Vision & Driving

1. How To Get A Driver's License With A Low Vision Disability

Disclaimer

Please understand that not every person with low vision is able to drive. This is a very serious matter that needs to be discussed with those close to you and your low vision doctor. Not only must you have vision good enough for doctors to correct, but you must also be willing to accept the challenge and go through what can be a long and arduous process that can last a year or more. This site is NOT a medical or an authoritative driving site nor affiliated with any and information contained in it does not override professional advice. Every person has different needs and capabilities so use this site merely as a stepping stone and discuss everything with your doctor, DMV official, auto mechanic... first! See the many topics below and feel free to add your driving comments and share your experience. If you know of anyone who would benefit from this site please pass it on to them.