Winter driving tips

Regaining control after a skid
The following advice for regaining control of your vehicle (whether it's rear-wheel, front-wheel or four-wheel drive) are reprinted here, courtesy of the Canadian Automobile Association.

Keep control of your vehicle to avoid collisions
Winter collisions can occur when your vehicle skids. Remember that not all vehicles respond the same to icy, slippery roads. You must know how to handle your vehicle and how it responds in various weather conditions. Consult your owner's manual and familiarize yourself with your vehicle's braking system and tire traction. You may want to consider taking a driver education course that teaches emergency driving techniques.

Skids can best be avoided by driving for conditions, slowing down, allowing extra time to get to your destination, anticipating lane changes, turns and curves; slowing down in advance; making smooth, precise movements of the steering wheel and by being sensitive to how your vehicle is steering. Even careful and experienced drivers experience skids.

Don't panic! Learn to handle skids and remember that sometimes, the vehicle will skid a second and even third time after the initial skid.

DO NOT PANIC.

Rear-wheel skids
If the rear wheels lose traction, use these steps to regain control after a skid:

1. Take your foot off the brake if the rear wheels skid due to hard or panic braking.

2. Ease off the gas pedal if the rear wheels lose traction due to hard acceleration (rear-wheel drive).

3. Shift to neutral.

4. Look down the road in the direction you want the front of the car to go and be sensitive to the feel of the car and how it is responding to your steering.

5. To regain control of the vehicle, steer gently in the direction of the skid of the rear of the vehicle. Just before the skid ends, bring the front wheels straight. Sometimes the vehicle will skid in the opposite direction, so you may have to repeat the movement until the vehicle stabilizes.

6. Once the vehicle is straight, return to a driving gear and accelerate gently so that engine speed matches road speed.

Front-wheel skids
Front-wheel skids are caused by hard braking or acceleration and by entering a curve too fast. When the front wheels lose traction, you lose steering ability. The best way to regain control if the front wheels skid is:

1. If the front wheels skid from hard braking, release the brake. If the wheels spin from loss of traction due to acceleration, ease off on the accelerator (front-wheel drive).

2. Shift to neutral.

3. If the front wheels have been turned prior to the loss of traction, don't move the steering wheel. Since the wheels are skidding sideways, a certain amount of braking force will be extended.

4. Wait for the front wheels to grip the road again. When traction returns, you'll regain steering control.

5. Return to a driving gear and gently steer in the direction you want to travel. Gently accelerate until engine speed matches road speed.

Four-wheel skids
Sometimes all four wheels lose traction -- generally at high speeds under adverse conditions. The most effective way to get your vehicle back under control when all four wheels skid is:

1. Remove your foot from the brake or accelerator.

2. Shift into neutral.

3. Look and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go.

4. Wait for the wheels to grip the road again. As soon as the wheels regain traction, you will travel in the direction you want to go.

5. Return to a driving gear and maintain a safe speed.

NOTE: Avoid using overdrive on slippery surfaces.