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SAFE DRIVING TIPS
Get a grip!
Keep your car on the road with these traction tips
By News Canada
Thursday, January 22, 2004
As most Canadians know, it's important to keep your traction, and your cool, during slippery driving conditions so your car or truck will stay out of the ditch and off of the guardrail, all winter long. But pay attention now. There might just be some stuff that you don't already know.
Basics, basics, basics
Before you even think about driving in winter, do the obvious and make sure that your vehicle is in good condition. This includes brakes, exhaust system and tires, all of which should be inspected by a technician. Also the engine, which should have all hoses and belts checked and all filters and fluids replaced, especially the engine oil. There is no better or cheaper insurance. And it's no fun being stranded in February, in a snow bank.
More of everything
Everything is exaggerated in slippery conditions. You need a lot more room to accelerate, which can be critical when making turns or entering a highway. And you can't take corners as easily, so it's wise to plan ahead and adjust your speed, even in the city. But most important, you need way more room to stop. This is especially true of full-size SUVs, which are heavy to begin with, and really hard to stop quickly when it's icy. Plus, don't get overconfident. Just because you can drive through a huge snow bank in your truck doesn't mean you can slow down any faster than the next guy.
Be a smooth operator
Pretend that your wedding cake is in the passenger seat and you're on the way to the church. That should keep you smooth. On slippery surfaces, smooth driver inputs are essential. And they are a good habit to get into, in any case. So gently push on the gas and the tires are less likely to spin. Slowly squeeze the brakes and the wheels are less likely to lock. Turn the steering wheel using smooth, not jerky, motions, and you'll be less likely to spin out. Bottom-line, easy does it, in all things. It's the number one rule for winter driving.
To brake or not to brake
Here's the thing. You have no steering when your wheels are locked. None at all. Zero steering. Your vehicle will not change direction when you turn the steering wheel if the wheels are locked. Honest. What it will do, is continue going in the exact same direction it was heading the instant you locked the wheels. Which is not necessarily the direction that you now want to go in. The moral of this story is simple. If you find yourself sliding towards a curb or, heaven forbid, a guardrail, and your car won't turn, get off the brake and turn the steering wheel, gently.
A bit about ABS
The whole idea behind anti-lock braking (ABS) is to provide you with some steering, while you're hard on the brakes. ABS does this by locking and unlocking the brakes several times a second. So when the brakes are locked, you have braking - and when they are unlocked, you have steering. The problem with ABS is that while most systems work well in the dry, and even the rain, they are often not so effective on snow, ice or loose surfaces, like gravel. So it's better to play it safe and not drive too fast for conditions. You can't always rely on ABS or other traction or stability systems to bail you out.
Slip sliding away
Okay. You've overcooked it somehow and your car has started to slide. Whoa, what do you do now? Well, it depends a bit on what part is sliding. Let's say the car doesn't want to turn, the front just keeps going straight. This is what the stock car racers call "tight" handling, which means the front wheels are starting to slide. The way to react is to back off the gas and keep steering the way you want the car to go. Unless you were really flying, the car should pull back on track.
Sometimes the rear wheels will slide and the back end will start to rotate. This is what racers call "loose" handling. The way to react is to keep the gas steady and, just like before, steer the way you want the car to go. This means turning the wheel in the opposite direction of the slide. But don't worry, you won't have to think about details. As long as you keep pointing the steering wheel where you want the front end to go, you're doing fine. The car will straighten up. And you should probably slow down.
Last scenario. The whole car starts to slide or you're just not sure what's happening. In a situation like this, often the best thing to do is release all of the controls for a few seconds and let the car stabilize itself. That's right. No steering, no gas, no brake. Because often it's too much steering, gas or brakes that's causing the problem in the first place. Just don't use this method if you're about to connect with something solid.
It's important to be aware that these rules may vary slightly depending on conditions, speed and whether your vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. A good idea is to practice in your own car using an icy parking lot that has some room.
It's fun. It's not dangerous.
And you'll learn a lot about how your car reacts in slippery conditions.
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