If you are the one having to drive in snow and scared to do so then you are at the right place. You may have heard some overconfident drivers blow by you on a snowy road making you secretly hope they end up in a ditch. Make sure you are not that overconfident person. The best people to provide tips on how to drive in snowy conditions is a driving school in San Diego. Having special training on how to drive on the winter roads will ensure you arrive at your destination safely. It will help you remain calm, collected, comfortable, and as well as those in the vehicle. Then give this blog a further read and understand safe driving while snowy.
Tips To Drive in Snow
- Drive super slowly:
To stay safe while driving in snow, it is very much necessary for the steering, wheel, accelerator, and brakes to be smooth. As the jerky moments unstick the tires that may have a tenuous grip on the slippery road. And thus every turn, push off the brake or any moment should be gentle and gradual. Pretending there is a scalding liquid on your lap and driving such that it does not spill is a good technique to adopt.
- Look far ahead
Driving conditions in wet and snowy weather continue to deteriorate; the more you drive. It is important to handle the turns with care, especially if you are climbing a hill. Allowing double the stopping distance when the road is wet or there is snow. It takes extra effort to drive safely in such conditions, which is taught in California behind-the-wheel tests.
- Head the flashing lights
You must understand the small flashing light in the instrument cluster. This is vital so that you know how to react in case they come on while driving. Most of the new vehicles have a dashboard that provides considerable details about their vehicle. For example, if you are in a straight line and the light is blinking, it is the stability control system warning the driver that the wheels that drive the car are slipping. Ease up on the accelerator so the tires can regain their grip. Avoid accelerating aggressively when turning tight corners.
- Constantly assess your Traction
In any snowy drive, the traction will be tested as you drive along wet roads. The anti-lock-brake system helps a great deal when driving in such conditions as will the warning lights from the stability-control system and traction control. You can do this by applying the brakes gently for a second while driving in a straight line. In case you feel brake pedal chattering but detect deceleration the ABS has activated, and you can be assured that the road beneath your tire is much slick. On the other hand, if you can slow down at a certain reasonable rate without activating ABS you are on a grippy surface. Make sure there are no other vehicles close when you attempt this.
- Deal with the Skids:
If you hit a slick spot you are likely to get a sick feeling in your stomach. Skids are manageable even the big ones. It is important not to panic, stay calm, and not stab the brakes! Instead, keep your wheels pointed in the straight direction you are going. You can use brakes gently if you think you can recover without hitting anything.
- Use your anti-lock brakes in a proper way
In case everything else fails you need to stop as quickly as possible in snow. And it is time to engage with the help of your anti-lock brake system. This system uses an onboard computer to optimize car breaking in particular extreme conditions. And in case if you are in a skid then push the ABS brake pedal down hard, and do not let it up. However, no safety system can ensure avoiding all accidents but ABS has undoubtedly saved many drivers from disastrous situations.
- Fit Winter Tires
This one is however a survival tip and not a driving tip, which is that you can fit a set of four winter tires. And this will be the best thing you can do to improve your safety and also reduce your anxiety level.
To know more and learn such skills you can contact a reputed driving school in San Diego. Click2drive being a reputed training school can definitely help you with that. Visit our site to know more about us and get proper behind-the-wheel training in California.
