Show of hands, how many times have you seen a four-wheel drive truck stuck in a ditch on a snow day? People get it in their heads that a 4x4 will somehow make it OK to drive normal during winter weather events, and that's just not a truth. Those extra two drive wheels can help you get going, but they do not help you go straight or stop when it's slick. This also goes for all-wheel drive vehicles too.

The best possible thing you can do is plan your route according to the weather. Obviously, if it's slippery outside, you want to avoid hills and use main roads as much as possible. This might mean a longer drive to work, but it's also a safer drive to work. This includes avoiding the roller coaster ride that is Lee Boulevard unless you absolutely have to go that way. Just allow yourself extra time by getting out of the house earlier in the morning, or just do what I do and show up late.

Driving in the snow is easy. While it can be a skill, it's more of a personality trait. Patience is what it takes to successfully drive safely in the snow. Being light as a feather on your gas pedal will get you going. Sure, it's fun to kick the back end out a little bit, but there are dozens of abandoned parking lots for that kind of fun, don't bring it on the road.

Braking is the bigger part of the safe driving equation. The point being, you should aim to let your car slow down long before you need to apply your brakes. Yes, it's going to take you a much longer time to get where you're going, but you don't want to be the only idiot slamming into people when you could have just coasted to a stop. When you're ready to start braking and start to feel that jerky kick-back on the peddle, keep braking. Your car is trying to stop itself through the computer using the anti-lock brake feature. When your tires lock up, the car is releasing that brake and reapplying pressure to itself. It's a weird feeling, but it's supposed to work like that. Don't let off then brake again. Let the computer do its thing.

The last thing you need to do while driving in the snow is be chill. You're probably going to have a close call or two thanks to some random idiot driver. You'll probably end up getting cut off. And overcompensating dudes will probably scream past you in their four-wheel drive trucks at speed. You need to respond as a grown up. It may hurt your own ego, but odds are karma will catch up to them.

 

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