Surviving Winter Roads

Understand Safety Features
Be warned: Four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and traction control can encourage you to go fast in the slow parts. 4WD, AWD and traction control can ONLY help you go; they can't help you turn or stop. Also, electronic stability control can help prevent you from spinning out, but it can't increase available grip—that's set by the vehicle and its tires.

Braking News
Don't rely on the brakes. When you need stopping power the most, it won't be available: The skidding tires of others polish the places where you will need to slow down. To avoid using the brakes, look far ahead for stop signs, changing stoplights and flashing brake lights. Get off the gas smoothly and coast. Squeeze the brakes gently to avoid skidding. On both racetrack and road, looking far ahead is key.


If you didn't anticipate a slow area and you have anti-lock brakes, slam the pedal to the floor and let the computer try to find some grip. Without ABS, you'll have to rely on the ol' organic computer—you. Mimic ABS: squeeze the brake pedal until the tires lock, but as soon as they do lock release brake pressure until the tires are rolling again. Repeat as necessary.

Bad Scenario
If you find yourself driving too fast in a slow turn and the front tires slide wide of your intended path, get off both the gas and the brakes—as one of these caused the problem in the first place—and adding either will just make the situation worse. Next leave your hands where they are: turning more will not help and if the road surface changes from ice to wet pavement, it may cause your car to dart off the road or into oncoming traffic.


While you can successfully REACT to a front-tire skid, you must ANTICIPATE a rear-tire skid. Words can't help you do this. The best advice we can give: spend $100 at your local "slick track" go-kart track.