Tips for Driving in Winter Conditions

Before you get mad at me telling you how to drive in winter conditions, know that I am in no way patronizing you or thinking I am better, I just think that some people might need a refresher course, especially with the crazy weather we have here in Colorado and Wyoming. These are just my opinions.

After all of the vehicles I have seen in the ditches and on tow trucks on these past snow storms I decided to share my driving tips. I know that I may not know it all but it sure wouldn't hurt to share.

1. Be comfortable with your vehicle

This is one of the most important tips my parents ever taught me. Be comfortable with what you are driving and learn how it handles on snowy and icy roads. If you are not comfortable driving your vehicle in the snow, you are kind of at a disadvantage when it comes to winter driving. The best way to get comfortable with how it handles on the icy roads is go to an abandoned parking lot with no obstacles or a nice deserted road with no ditches and just take your time driving and stopping. Get a feel for your vehicle. Getting that confidence for driving in winter conditions is key, which brings us to our next point.

2. Don't be over confident

Kind of contradicts what I last said? No, not at all. You can be confident when you drive just don't think you are invincible, I am talking to you 4x4 drivers. This is another lesson my parents drilled into my head, just because you have 4-wheel drive doesn't mean you aren't going to slide. People get a false sense of security with 4-wheel drive and think that they can still do the speed limit, false. I can't stress enough, yes 4-wheel drive and all-wheel drive is great, but it doesn't mean that you can drive fast. If you look at all of the cars in ditches or sides of the road, chances are a majority of them are probably 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

3. Drive SLOW

You don't necessarily have to go at parade speeds, unless the roads are super bad, but you do need to go slower than the speed limit. There have been a couple of times where I was adhering to the conditions and some jack-wagon flies by me and then a little bit up the way I seem them in a ditch or start to fishtail bad where they hit there breaks and then proceed to drive slow. If someone is driving slow, don't ride their butt, it doesn't make anything better. If anything it will make that driver more nervous and there are more chances of error. Plus, if they slam on their breaks you are more than likely screwed. One last thing I am going to say on this is use a lower gear. The lower gears will help you go slower give you a little more control.

Of course there are instances where you do everything right and bad stuff still happens( i.e. the photo above) sadly, that stuff is unavoidable. If that's the case and you see somebody in the ditch or on the side of the road please pull over (if you are able) and help them out.

And of course, If you don't need to go out, then don't. Just stay inside and relax.

If you would like more winter driving tips like, if you start to slide turn with the slide not away from it, click  here. I just wanted to give my opinion on winter driving.

As My dad would say, "Drive with pride!"