What to do if your car slips and spins on a snowy or icy road

Knowing how to proceed when your vehicle skids on an icy or snowy road is a move you must perform carefully to avoid crashing or getting hurt while trying.

When the winter season arrives, more and more vehicles begin to hit the snow and ice-covered roads. Some drivers might think that having a XNUMXWD car makes them immune to the dangers of winter driving. However, those who have not done the necessary preparatory work will inevitably find their car spinning in a snowy rain. As stressful as this situation is, it can be handled safely, and here we'll show you how.

Why do cars spin on snow and ice?

Whether your car starts to spin in the rain, snow, ice, or all three, the key ingredient is strength, or rather, lack of it.

Through friction, a car's tires stick to the road, which is what makes it go, stop, and turn. The snow prevents the tires from hitting the road and does not create as much friction. Thus, the wheels of your car, and eventually the entire car, begin to spin.

Ice is much more slippery than pavement, so there is less friction, which means less grip. In addition, when the vehicle is driven on snow or ice, a thin layer of melt water forms, further reducing traction.

How can you prevent this?

If you really want to keep your car from spinning in winter, also known as winter tires. More precisely, their complete set. However, you will need to install all 4 tires as fitting just two can make the car easier to turn.

All-season tires are not really all-season because they become stiff and less grippy as the temperature drops. However, winter tires remain flexible even in sub-zero temperatures. In addition, they have a unique tread pattern designed to quickly evacuate snow and water from the contact patch. And if permitted by local law, a snow kit or snow chains will further improve winter traction.

Speaking of traction, while all-wheel drive helps, it doesn't replace good winter tires. Both AWD and 4WD increase traction but cannot power something that isn't there. Four-wheel drive allows the car to move forward more efficiently and prevents some slippage during acceleration, but does not help stop. And while it helps a little in corners, on a road with a fair amount of snow or ice, the effect is minimal at best.

Besides tires and chains, keeping your car from spinning depends on your driving technique. All your actions (steering, acceleration, braking) should be smooth and gradual. As we mentioned before, the key is traction. That means not doing anything that could cause your car to lose traction, like accelerating mid-turn. The same goes for braking in the middle of a corner, even with ABS, which still causes weight transfer, which affects traction.

What to do if your car starts spinning?

Even if you follow these tips, your car may still spin. But you should not panic, you can get out of this situation safely.

First, ease off the accelerator gently, but don't hit the brakes. If you have to brake, do it gently or it will make the skid worse. What you do next will depend on the type of skid your car is in.

To skid the front wheel, simply release the throttle and drive in the direction you want your car to go. If your vehicle is spinning due to a rear wheel skid, turn the wheel in the direction the rear wheels are traveling. And if it's still skidding or spinning and your car has ABS, depress the brake pedal hard and hold the steering wheel.

Also, don't look at what you're trying to avoid. If you do, you'll end up getting it right.

Other helpful tips for driving in winter and snow

Even after all this, you can turn your car into a snowdrift. Or you may try to pull out of your parking spot and find your wheels spinning uselessly in the snow. Fortunately, there are ways to unstick.

First, remove as much snow as possible from under and around the tires. Then try to "balance" the car by reversing and driving forward a few times. If that still doesn't work, you can use special anti-skid mats like those used on ATVs to help your vehicle clear snow. And if that doesn't work, get someone to help push you or call a tow truck.

However, to avoid rotation, more than just thrust and reflexes are needed. Winter driving also requires good visibility. So, in addition to making sure your tires are properly inflated, check your wipers and washer fluid, and keep an ice scraper handy in your car, as well as extra washer fluid and, if possible, a shovel.

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