Tips for safe driving on snow and ice

• Tires. To have adequate traction in snow you need to have decent tires with good tread. A worn set of tires isn’t doing you any favors, and replacing them is always a good idea to stay safe on the road.
• Don’t drive too fast for conditions. No matter how good of a driver you think you are, driving 80mph in a snowstorm, or going 20mph too fast as you enter an icy corner is just going to land you in the ditch or worse. Great driving and/or great tires cannot save you from the laws of physics.
• Make sure you can see – and be seen. Is it time to replace your windshield wipers? Be sure they are doing the job intended or get rid of them.
• AWD or 4WD does not give you the ability to drive better in adverse conditions. While it may help you turn on snowy roads a little, the difference is minimal versus having a great set of tires, and AWD does NOTHING to help you stop. Don’t give yourself a false sense of security just because you have an AWD vehicle.
• Don’t follow the person in front of you too closely. If they need to stop suddenly, the chances of you rear-ending them are very high. Stay a safe distance back, even if they are driving slower than you would like. You can always wait for a safe time to pass, but tailing them right on their bumper does nothing for either of you.
• Brake early. It is better to approach a stop slowly by braking early rather than trying to stop suddenly and slide through your stop.
• SKID CONTROL: If you feel yourself start to skid, or your tires start to slip, don’t panic and slam on the brakes. Simply easy off the accelerator and let the car slow on it’s own. A moving car has some traction, braking takes away the ability to control your vehicle.
• Be careful of bridges, due to the difference in exposure to air the surface conditions of bridges tend to freeze first and can be more slippery than the surrounding roads.