Driving in Ice & Snow

Posted November 19th, 2008 by Natalie

The Pacific Northwest is famous for rain (and snow if you make the trek to Mount Hood), and with the temperatures dropping there are a few things to consider pertaining to your vehicle.

Vehicle Maintenance:  Along with the usual checks of tire air pressure and fluids which is done all seasons, when winter comes along it’s a good time to make sure your battery is holding a good charge and your heating/cooling system is in good shape to handle the colder temperatures.

Snow Tires:  Think about purchasing snow tires! Snow tires have unique tread designs and are made up of a special rubber compound to drive in ice and snow. A lot of vehicles have ‘all weather tires’ (they will have a M + S on the side of the tire, which stands for mud and snow) which means they are equipped to drive in different weather conditions, but if you are planning on driving in more than a small amount of snow, winter tires are recommended - they are designed to prevent snow from compacting in the tread and the rubber compound helps the tires to stay flexible.  There are several different options for driving in the snow; whether you go with purchasing a set of snow tires or installing chains its always better to have some form of traction.

Driving in snow and ice conditions:

  • Make sure your windshield is clear and your wipers are in good shape.
  • Keep your headlights on.
  • Leave a few car lengths in between your vehicle and the one in front and drive at a slower pace.
  • Brake more gently - never slam on brakes. If you start to skid make sure to steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go and let off the accelerator.  If you have regular brakes pump them, if you have ABS (anti-lock brakes) don’t pump, just apply even pressure.
  • If you get stuck, try wiggling the steering wheel side to side to remove the snow.  Its always a good ideal to have an emergency kit in your car in case you get stranded.  Click here to read about creating your own simple emergency kit.

Just remember to take it slow and drive with caution!

Natalie Chambers
Gold Team Service Manager

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