Winter Driving Tips: Dealing with Snow and Ice During Holiday Season Travel

November 30, 2023

From Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year’s, a whole lot of travel happens during the holiday season, and a lot of that travel involves driving. In snowy or icy conditions, there are different considerations you need to take while on the road, and things you should watch out for from other drivers as well. Keeping these winter driving tips in mind during the holiday season – and really, throughout winter – may help keep you and your family safe during the colder months of the year.

Tips for Driving in the Snow and Ice

If you can wait out a bad storm, you may want to delay travel a bit to avoid snow and ice on the roads. But if you’ve got to go out, there are some winter driving tips that may help.

First of all, remember to adjust your speed for weather and road conditions. Driving on snow and ice is dangerous, and you don’t need to be speeding or even meeting the speed limit for normal conditions if the weather is bad. Keep extra distance between other cars on the road, and stay alert to those around you. 

You should also be very aware of your gas and brake pedals when driving in ice and snow. Avoid skidding out by accelerating and decelerating slowly and steadily, and keep the heel of your foot on the floor with the ball of your foot ready to operate the brake pedal as needed.

Speaking of speeding up and slowing down, be careful driving on hills if it’s icy or there’s snow on the road. Don’t stop while going up a hill if you can avoid it, and proceed steadily as you go up and slowly as you go down. 

And before you even leave a parking spot or driveway, make sure your vehicle is clear of ice and snow. Not only is it important for your own visibility, but snow or ice falling off of your car could hit a different car on the road or impede another driver’s vision and cause an accident. A windshield scraper and a small broom should be sufficient for ice and snow removal. 

When it comes to visibility, you should also keep in mind that black ice may be present on the road and is difficult to see. You should always assume that bridges may be slippery, because they freeze more quickly than road surfaces.

Winter Driving Tips: Be Prepared

While there are many things you should keep in mind when you’re driving in snow and ice, there are also precautions you should take before you ever even hit the road. 

Before you go out, be sure that you have your cell phone and that it’s charged. If you do get into a crash or there’s another emergency, you’ll be glad to have it. You should also try to keep your gas tank full to prevent gasoline freeze-up and consider having emergency supplies in your car in case you do end up in an accident or whiteout conditions and are trapped in your vehicle. 

If you’re going to drive in ice and snow, you need good winter tires. All-weather tires are usually fine for most winter conditions, although you might want to invest in snow tires if you live somewhere you know you’ll be dealing with a lot more snow and ice. 

Finally, before you head out, consider letting someone know your destination, route, and estimated time of arrival. That way, if you don’t arrive at your destination within a reasonable time frame, someone will know where to look for you in case something happens during your journey. Always check the weather before you drive anywhere, and make sure you’re dressed accordingly! 

Driving in snow and ice in the winter is just a part of life for many people, but these winter driving tips will help keep you safe in case the weather is truly frightful. 

Be safe this holiday season, and if you do end up in a crash and need the assistance of a car accident attorney, just know that Phillips Law Group is here to help. If you need legal advice, our team is ready to assist you. Contact us today!