As the weather gets colder, young drivers dread driving in the snow because of the dangerous conditions. The first thing to know before hitting the roads is what kind of weather you’ll be driving in. Snow is usually more manageable, but freezing rain or sleet is more dangerous. Experiencing it is the only way to get over the fear and to know how to deal with any emergencies that could happen. Knowing tips and tricks for safe winter driving is an essential when driving on ice or snow. Here are some tips to drive safely and some tricks to get unstuck from snow.

1. Drive slowly – Always adjust your speed  because of the lower traction when driving in snow or on ice.
2. Accelerate and Decelerate slowly – Accelerate slowly to regain traction and avoid skidding. Start to decelerate earlier than usual to make sure you stop in time.
3. Increase your following distance –  Increasing your following distance by five or six seconds will provide more distance for emergency stops.
4. Don’t power up hills-  Trying to power up will just make your wheels spin, try to get a little more speed when approaching the hill.
5. Turns – Brake before you turn, then accelerate when the turn is ending.
6. Cruise control- Avoid cruise control at all times to maintain acceleration and deceleration control.

Tips to get unstuck from snow

1. Forward backward technique- Accelerate forward slowly, then accelerate backwards slowly until you create a path to get out. If you hear your tires spinning, take your foot off the gas immediately.
2. Use people- Find a group of people that could push your car out of the snow. If pushing from the back, put your car in a forward gear. As they push, have someone slowly accelerate on the gas.
3. Add traction with sand, kitty litter, or cardboard- If your tires are spinning, put sand underneath them to give your tires more traction.
4. Shovel a path around your tires- Keep a small shovel in your car to clear the snow around your tires.