Nothing beats plowing through the snow with your 4x4. However, you have to watch out for icy, muddy and just plain wet terrain. This is why you bought your 4x4 in the first place: for the extra power and control that it provides. A 4x4 provides you with greater off-road range: four tyres are harder to spin than two. However, you still need to be aware of your driving limits, as well as those of the drivers around you. By brushing up on a few tips now, you can reduce the risk of future accidents while driving in the snow. Before starting out on the snow, deflate your tyres slightly. This will cause your tyre's footprint to increase, thereby providing better traction. Invest in cold weather tyres for all of your wheels. While it might be tempting to fit cold weather tyres on only the front wheels, one achieves maximum grip and safety by having all four wheels covered. When you set out on the road, avoid sudden movements by keeping a steady and controlled speed. If you have to accelerate, do so gradually. Avoid spinning your tyres at all costs. You should also leave more of a distance between your car and the one ahead of you than you would during normal weather conditions. If the weather is dry, you should leave a 2 second gap. For wet weather, the gap should be increased to four seconds. If you have to brake, do so very gradually to keep the wheels from locking. Your car will lose control if the wheels lock and the car will lose control. If this happens, release the brake pedal to recover traction and then gradually brake again. While doing this, you should also be using the engine brake simultaneously. Anticipate your braking so that you will have plenty of time to do so. If you lose traction while braking, turn the steering wheel quickly from side to side in 1/8th turns. These short strokes will allow the tyres to find extra grips. When travelling downhill in cold weather, use a lower gear ratio than you would normally use. When traveling uphill, employ the reverse method: use a higher gear ration than you would normally use. When pulling away, it is important to increase your speed very gradually. If the wheels slide, put your vehicle into a higher gear to decrease the applied force. If you come upon a bend, give yourself plenty of time to slow down before you take it. While driving through a bend, it is important that you maintain a slow, steady speed to avoid losing control with a tyre slide or imbalanced car. If you lose steering control in the front, don’t panic. Lift your foot off the accelerator to reduce speed and press lightly on the brake. If your car is a front wheel drive model and loses steering control in the back, slowly accelerate to regain balance. If you find yourself in this situation with a rear wheel drive model, slowly decrease your speed until your car regains its grip. You may then gently accelerate to your previous speed. Do not brake during these situations: this will only cause your car to further lose its balance. Keep these tips in mind when driving through the snow with your 4x4. Always remain alert and aware of your surroundings. An alert, focused driver is better able to spot and prevent accidents.
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Why keep your 4x4 parked in the garage this winter when you can take it for a romp through the snow? You bought your 4x4 because its all-wheels drive allows for exceptional handling during off-road conditions. Put your concerns to rest about driving in the snow with this short article. By brushing up on a few tips, you will achieve both piece of mind and have better driving skills. Driving at a smooth, steady clip while giving yourself plenty of time to brake is a good start. However, you also ...
Tony Hughes is a keen car enthusiast in particular SUVs and of the 4x4.
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