Surviving Winter Roads

To paraphrase Formula 1 World Champion and Indy winner Emerson Fittipaldi: on snowy and icy roads, bad drivers go too slow where the traction is good, and too fast where there's little grip. Here's the key on both the racetrack and winter roads: know where you MUST go slow and where you MAY go fast.

Traction Varies
The first tip for safe winter driving: Traction is not the same everywhere. It changes dramatically both as you drive down the road and, often, laterally within the same lane. A heavily traveled highway may be almost clear, but the off-ramp could be glare ice. Snowy city streets offer a surprising amount of grip, but the area just before a stop sign will be polished as if a Zamboni machine were there before you. Similarly, "wagon-wheel" ruts on an interstate highway can offer grip levels rivaling damp pavement, but move 18 inches to the right or left and the traction drops precipitously. As Fittipaldi might say, go slow in the slow parts and appropriately quickly where it's safe to do so.

Highs and Lows
How do you know where the traction is high and where it is low? Start by looking. Slippery roads usually look slippery. Next, use your memory. If Fittipaldi could memorize the 180-something turns of the Nürburgring's 14.5-mile Nordschleife circuit, you can remember the trouble spots on your regular routes. The place where water streamed across the road during that fall rainstorm is going to be a sheet of ice sometime this winter. How about the bridge where you skidded last February? It's going to be treacherous again this year. When facing a new route, read the road: ice hides in shadows of trees, buildings and hills. Damaged guardrail and marred concrete barriers show where others have had troubles and will again.

Tread Matters Know that tire pressure drops one psi for every 10-degree drop in air temperature.
Especially in winter, tires can make a huge difference. An old Camaro on four new, top-quality winter tires will be safer and easily go more places in the snow than a newer four-wheel-drive SUV on half-worn all-season tires. If you will face serious snow, make sure your tires have the rubber industry's "snowflake-on-the-mountain" symbol, which indicates they surpass an industry standard reference tire for snow traction. Also make sure your tires are less than half-worn. If your choice is between new all-season tires or winter tires at 5/32-inch of tread, go with the new all-seasons. Know that tire pressure drops one psi for every 10-degree drop in air temperature.

See and Be Seen
Make sure you can see and be seen. Clear snow from the roof, hood and trunk lid, so the white stuff doesn't blow up or slide down onto the windshield. Remove snow blocking head and taillights. Burn your headlights any time conditions are not perfect and when driving on two-lane roads. Engage your air conditioner on "fresh," not recirculate, to prevent interior fogging. Fit new windshield wipers.