Driving a car on a highway is not so difficult because the road is not bumpy so you can drive quickly without fear of slipping. However, you must be careful if driving in the winter because the road will feel slippery.
You should not brake carelessly and make sure you hold the steering wheel firmly. it is not enough because you also have to pay attention to several things so you can safely drive on snow. Here are some tips on how to drive in the winter.
Turn on the defroster on the windshield
Usually, since he temperature inside the car is warmer than the temperature outside, the surface of the glass will condense on the inside so that it interferes with the driver’s vision. It’s better if there is a co-driver, just ask him to turn on the air conditioner and “defroster” so we can stay focus on the road.
Don’t get too close to the vehicle in front
There is a unique thing that we can see people who drivers in the winter where they are close enough to each other like a convoy. It seems like a good idea because the vehicle in front of you can put a halt to the wind. However, it is too risky because if the road surface is covered with ice or snow, the car cannot stop quickly when we hit the brake and it may result in a fatal impact on the car in front of us. Thus, we should keep a distance of around 10 meters from the car in front of us.
Don’t hit the brake suddenly
When you feel the tire slip then don’t panic and then step on the brakes suddenly because it will make you lose control. Stepping on the brakes will not change the situation. A good step to take is to release the accelerator to reduce the acceleration of the car, let the car speed slowly decrease. If your car is equipped with an ABS (anti-lock brake system), then you can brake constantly.
Don’t speed up
Anyway, it certainly looks trivial, but it may be the main key to safely drive a car in the winter. If you are not in a hurry, you should not speed up. Generally, when travelling in winter, you may reduce the speed of the car around 10-20 km / h from the maximum speed limit on the road. Driving a car in the winter should pay attention to the speed. Also, there are a lot of cameras everywhere that will instantly give you a speeding ticket if you are running too fast. All in all, you must be able to control your car because the road is very slippery.
Make sure to use Winter Tire
Careful preparation is the main thing to do at the beginning of the trip. If you rent a car through rentals, make sure the car you rent has winter tires. Two types of winter tires are commonly used, they are “studded” and “non-studded”. Studded winter tires are only used when you drive on snow. When the road isn’t snowing, you can remove the studded feature because it can damage the road.
Before you make a decision be certain of the type of tyre you want for your vehicle. There are various tyres out there for different body types, for example, a large-sized SUV will have a different tyre than a large sedan.
If you have a bus or truck then Dunlop SP320 would be a perfect match. Similarly, if you are looking for a winter tyre, make sure you buy from a reliable brand.
Summary:
Driving on snow or ice is unarguably one of the most difficult tasks. However, if you follow these simple tips, you journey will be safe and smooth.
- Turn on the defroster
- Don’t get too close to another vehicle
- Don’t hit the brake suddenly
- Don’t speed up
- Put winter tyres in your car
