by Cameron Scott

Created on: December 20, 2011   Last Updated: December 21, 2011

Winter accidents sneak up on you, but it doesn't have to be that way. With proper winter tires and a little extra caution, it's easy to drive safely and remain accident-free this winter.

Switch to winter tires

Prepare for the worst that winter can throw at you by switching to winter tires before the snow hits. Winter tires have heavy open treads which bite into snow and ice. They're also designed to shed snow and icy water, so that the tire is constantly getting rid of slush buildup. You'll need that grip on the road surface when the weather gets bad.

Winter tires also wear better than regular or all-season tires when the weather gets cold. Every snow tire is made of a grade AA or A rubber compound, which is the softest kind available for tires. Unlike harder rubber compounds, which turn brittle when it gets cold, these softer rubber compounds stay flexible in cold weather.

Tires which have passed the industry snow test have a symbol of a mountain with a snowflake on it. A mud and snow rating (M+S, M/S, or M&S) is not enough. If they don't have the mountain and snowflake symbol, they're not real winter tires.

Winter driving

Winter tires help with winter driving, but they aren't everything. Don't forget that other drivers might not have winter tires. Even worse, they might be distracted as well as not having winter tires. Even if you've got great traction, always assume that others don't. With careful winter driving, your winter tires just might buy you the time to avoid an accident.

Start by slowing down! It's winter, it's icy, and nothing is that urgent. Even the best winter tires can lose contact with the road when you're driving too fast for the conditions. Besides, the drivers behind you will usually follow your speed, even if you have the tires for it and they don't.

Don't ever stop suddenly in winter! Even if you have the traction to do it, look in your rearview mirror first. What's behind you? If a car is riding your tail, he won't be able to stop in time. Even if he's farther away, he might not have left enough stopping distance for his momentum and the conditions, especially if he doesn't have winter tires. If a truck's coming up behind you, he'll certainly not be able to stop. The last thing you want is to be rearended into a busy intersection.

In this case, it's definitely better to go through that yellow light and clear the intersection. No one else is going to be jumpstarting the opposite light on those roads anyway.

If you can't keep going because of what's in front of you and it's dangerous to stop because of what's behind you, turn right. Find a driveway or a parking lot if the street isn't clear. Don't let up on the gas, but don't gun it either. Avoid switching lanes if possible, but if that's your only opening and you absolutely can't stay where you are, take it!

It's even better if you can avoid that kind of situation entirely. Look ahead to see what's coming next. If the light on the next block has been green for a long time, you can safely bet that it's about to turn yellow. If you see a car still moving with its wheels locked, you can bet that he's not going to be able to stop! Think ahead, and make the next winter drive a safe one.

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