How to Avoid Sliding on the Ice in Your Car
When the roads look like this, make sure you remember these tips on how to avoid sliding on ice in your car
Across the country, winter has finally arrived, dusting everything with snow and creating beautiful landscapes for everyone to enjoy. While winter is a gorgeous time of the year, it can also be quite dangerous—especially when there is ice out on the road. Because of its slick nature, it can be easy to slide on the ice in your car. So how can you avoid it? Here are a few tricks to doing so:
Don’t drive on icy roads. The best—and most logical—advice we can give you is to avoid driving on icy roads to begin with. It’s impossible to slide on the ice in your car if you’re not in it! But, we understand that this isn’t possible all the time, so read the rest of our tips if you absolutely have to go out on an icy road this winter.
Reduce your speed. High speeds make it significantly easier to lose control, while also making it more difficult to stop. Reduce the speed of your car depending on your conditions. If the temperature is well below freezing and it is snowing hard, we suggest driving as slow as you possibly can. Depending on the road, even driving as slow as 10 mph is the best option to stay safe.
Avoid sudden braking. While antilock brakes (ABS) are a safety godsend in regular conditions, on the ice and snow this system doesn’t work as well. Sliding wheels are uncontrollable, so you want to avoid making your wheels slide as much as possible. Instead of suddenly braking, slowly press down on the brake pedal. Remember to leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you so sudden braking isn’t necessary.
Accelerate slowly. The thought behind this advice is very similar to that of braking suddenly. When you accelerate quickly, your tires spin faster. This increases the likelihood of your wheels losing traction as they spin. Without traction, there is no way your vehicle can stay on the road, causing you to lose control of your vehicle.
Turn into a slide. If you have followed our advice and still find yourself sliding on the ice in your car, then always remember to remain calm and turn into the slide. That means turning your steering wheel in the direction that the rear of your car is sliding.
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.