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Winter is here and where I live, in Finland, we have just had our first snow with many drivers on slippery roads on plain summer tires.

Yesterday I was doing a 60 mile trip on smaller rural roads where the snow had not been melted away by heavy traffic and salt, summer tires still on, and I thought to myself:

It’s not really dangerous or difficult to drive on slippery roads as long as you know what to do and when, you just have to adopt a different style of driving and you’ll be as safe as on dry summer roads. The danger is if you apply a summer driving style to winter roads.

Rule #1: Slow Down

Don’t expect to reach the same speeds on a winter road as you do in the summer. Always plan for lower speeds and longer travel times.

Rule #2: Be Really Soft on The Pedals

Keeping your car on the road requires that the wheels have grip, that they are rolling at speed you are travelling.

When you break or accelerate too much the wheels will lock and lose all grip.

This turns your car into an object sliding in stead of rolling on the ice, you will have no control over it and it will go straight forward, or if the road is slanted it will slide off the road.

Accelerate and break like you had an egg under the pedal, really softly, and you’ll have a lot more grip to play with.

Rule #3: Keep Your Distance and Slow Down in Time

One of the most common accidents at winter is to drive into the car in front of you when it’s breaking and you notice too late.

The solution is to always maintain a good distance to the car in front, 100-600 feet depending on your speed and read conditions. Keep the distance big enough that you will be able to stop in case the car in front breaks.

Always slow down when you come to a crossing, even if you don’t see any other cars near. This way if there’s a surprise you will still be able to stop.

Rule #4: Break Safely

If you lose control when breaking it’s usually because you locked the wheels of your car by breaking too much. If you find yourself sliding for a ditch or slowly starting a spin just release the breaks for a second or two to regain control and then continue breaking..

Many times you can avoid an accident or reduce the damage by releasing the breaks and steering clear of the obstacle you are about to hit, maybe hitting a snow wall or some bushes instead. This method do require some practise though as the instinct is to push the break pedal as hard as you can.

If you car has an automatic braking system (ABS) it will take care of releasing the breaks for you, letting you steer and break at the same time. But if it’s really slippery even your ABS might lose control and in that case do as above, stop breaking for a second or two and then when you’re in control try breaking again. Read more about your ABS system in your cars manual.

Rule #5: Accelerate Safely

You car can either steer or accelerate. On dry roads there is enough grip to both steer and accelerate at the same time, but not on snow and ice.

When you go through a corner, don’t accelerate as you need the grip to stay on the road. If you need to accelerate and the bend is light you can do it slowly, but if you lose grip stop the acceleration.

Remember that a rear wheel car with the wheels spinning will tend to go into a dangerous spin while a front wheel drive car will go straight ahead with the wheels spinning.

In case you’re car is equipped with a traction control system (TCS) it will help you maintain control during acceleration. You will find more information in your cars manual.

Rule #6: Use Good Snow Tires

If you have snow and ice for over a month during winter, consider getting good snow tires. They will shorten your breaking distance and help you keep control of the car on slippery surfaces.

Check your local laws and regulations to see if snow tires are mandatory and if you are allowed to use tires with studs.

Rule #7: Practice and Learn

If you have a safe place to practice ice driving, do it! Nothing can prepare your for an emergency like trying to break and avoid an obstacle on a slippery surface.

You can find more tips for safe and fuel efficient driving at the fuel economy tips blog at MilesGallon.com