Why Winter Demands Different Driving
Cold temperatures, snow, and ice fundamentally change the interaction between your tires and the road. Even the best winter tires can't provide the same grip on ice that summer tires provide on dry pavement. Success in winter driving comes from understanding your tires' reduced capabilities and adjusting your inputs accordingly. The drivers who get into trouble are the ones who drive the same way they do in July.
Gentle Throttle Application
Traction is a finite resource, and in winter conditions, you have far less of it to work with. Aggressive acceleration overwhelms the available grip and causes wheel spin, which achieves nothing except wasting your momentum and potentially putting you into a slide. Accelerate gently and progressively. If your tires start to spin, ease off the throttle until they regain grip, then reapply more gently.
Starting from a Stop
Starting from a stop on snow or ice is where many drivers struggle. Apply throttle as if there's an egg between your foot and the pedal — smooth and gradual. Some drivers in automatic transmission vehicles find that starting in second gear (if the transmission allows it) reduces torque to the wheels and makes it easier to get moving without spinning.
Braking on Slippery Surfaces
Braking distances on snow can be two to three times longer than on dry pavement. On ice, they can be ten times longer. The key is to begin braking much earlier than you normally would. Apply the brakes gently and progressively. If you feel the ABS activate (a pulsing sensation in the pedal), maintain steady pressure and let the system work — it's designed to prevent wheel lockup while maximizing braking force.
Threshold Braking Without ABS
If your vehicle doesn't have ABS, use threshold braking: apply the brakes firmly until you feel the wheels begin to lock, then ease off slightly to restore wheel rotation. Locked wheels slide on ice and snow, providing virtually no stopping power and eliminating your ability to steer.
Steering Smoothly
Abrupt steering inputs on slippery surfaces can overwhelm tire grip instantly. Turn the wheel smoothly and gradually. Look where you want the car to go, not at the obstacle you're trying to avoid — your hands tend to follow your eyes. If the front tires lose grip during a turn (understeer), ease off the throttle and straighten the wheel slightly to let the tires regain traction. If the rear tires slide out (oversteer), steer gently in the direction of the slide.
Maintaining Following Distance
Increase your following distance to at least six seconds behind the vehicle ahead — double or triple your normal gap. This gives you the extra stopping distance you need and reduces the chance of a chain-reaction collision. On hills, leave extra space ahead and avoid stopping on inclines if possible — restarting on a snowy hill is challenging even with good tires.
The Right Tires Make the Difference
All-season tires lose significant grip below 45 degrees Fahrenheit as their rubber compound hardens. Dedicated winter tires use a softer compound that stays flexible in cold temperatures, providing dramatically better traction in snow, slush, and ice. If you live in an area with regular winter weather, investing in a set of winter tires is one of the best safety decisions you can make. Ship.Tires carries a full range of winter tires from top brands — search by your size and get them shipped before the first snowfall.