New snow on the roads and the temperature hovering around 0 degrees Celsius make for slippery conditions when driving. Knowing what to do in different situations will better equip you for surviving icy skids, sudden stops on snow, or getting stuck in a snowdrift.
Skidding
Never slam on the brakes. Even though your instincts tell you that pressing the brake pedal will bring you to a fast stop it will in fact extend the stopping distance. Instead, ease up on the accelerator.
Keep your eyes focused on where you want to go. Don't watch what is directly in front of your vehicle, but rather look for the 'end result' (i.e. on the shoulder).
Keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel when you start to skid. Steer the wheel in the direction you want the front of your vehicle to head towards. When your vehicle begins to correct itself it will likely swing the tail back in the other direction so you should be prepared to correct the direction of your front wheels before that happens. Once your vehicle starts to move in a straight line, keep the steering wheel centered. Often, it takes more than one steering wheel turn to get out of a skid.
Safely ease your way back into the flow of traffic. Stay in the right hand lane as much as possible to settle your nerves while getting back into the swing of things.
Sudden Stops
The best way to avoid hitting another vehicle is to avoid sudden stops. But if you do have to stop suddenly, keep these tips in mind:
Keep well behind the vehicle in front of you. If you can see that vehicle's back wheels you should have time to safely stop.
When coasting to a complete stop, place your right foot over the brake pedal without actually applying pressure. This way, if you do need to suddenly brake, your foot is already positioned (every second counts when an unexpected stop occurs).
Today, most vehicles are equipped with antilock brakes (ABS). This braking system replaces the conventional braking system where pumping the brake pedal was required when an emergency situation occurred. With antilock brakes, forget the pumping action. Instead, apply steady pressure to the brake pedal.
If a sudden stop is unavoidable and it looks like you are going to slam into the vehicle ahead of you, try to turn onto the soft shoulder if available. Definitely don't move your vehicle into oncoming traffic; it's much safer to hit the ditch than a vehicle moving towards you.
Getting Stuck
Turn off all electrical accessories (e.g. radio). Roll down the window so that you can hear which wheels are spinning.
It may be helpful to remove some air from the tires. Softer tires grip better. If need be, traction the wheels using old carpets, sand, salt, or kitty litter. Dig out snow in front of the wheels to provide a clear path to move forward.
Keep the front wheels pointed straight. If you are by yourself, try and rock your vehicle by repeatedly shifting from "D" (or the next lower gear) to "R" and back again, braking quickly between shifts. Use caution when abruptly shifting gears as this may cause automatic transmission failure.
If your efforts fail after a few tries, let the vehicle sit for a while so that the tires can cool down.
Get help or accept assistance if someone comes by. There is always a kind neighbor or even a stranger who can help rock your vehicle back and forth while you steer it into a clearing. Be careful. If the vehicle springs free you don't want helpers in the way. Also if they are pushing from the rear they may be exposed to snow and ice thrown up from the drive wheels.
After being stuck, check the air pressure in all the tires. You want to make sure there is no damage to the inside or outside of the tires. Bald spots can appear quite quickly on tires when they have been spinning on an obstacle.
To avoid trouble in icy weather, making a sudden stop, or getting stuck in the parking lot that wasn't shoveled, take precautionary measures. If it becomes too dangerous to drive, pull over and park but make sure it's not a snow removal zone. Your vehicle could be towed for blocking snowplows.
Sometimes the best way to avoid these situations is to simply stay at home during inclement weather. But if you absolutely must venture outdoors, try taking public transit or a taxicab. The extra time on the bus or spending a few more loonies for the cab driver far outweigh putting your safety at risk by getting behind the wheel when the roads are slick and visibility is limited.
