Driving in the snow question, please answer!!?

Question

If there is a road covered in snow with ice underneath, is it safer to drive in the tracks of the person in front of you, or is it safer to drive on the clean snow?? Which is more slippery or more likely to make you lose control of your car?

Answer 1

Sometimes when snow is driven over, the heat from the tires will melt it slightly, then it will refreeze into a slippery mess...even messier then just plain snow, so I'd agree with the first answer...it is more slippery to follow the tracks. Being born and raised in Buffalo, NY, I have plenty of snow driving experience, and SLOW and STEADY is more important then whether you follow tracks or snow.

Answer 2

its better to drive on the clean snow.  that way you have snow in between your tires and the ice... and you will have better traction on snow than ice.  when someone drives over snow leaving tracks, usually the heat from the tires melts the snow and then it refreezes, leaving behind just ice, as well as the treeds removing most of the snow...

so basically, in most cases, if you drive in someone's tracks, you're driving on ice.

Answer 3

The general rule of thumb in any snow situation is to drive in the tracks of the other cars...........

Answer 4

You will generally be better off staying in the other car's tracks, as there will be less chance of you skidding sideways.  However, it really depends on the situation.  If the other tracks are really deep ruts, you could hang up the underside of your car and wind up stuck with no traction.  Winter driving is something you just have to experience to learn.

Answer 5

it is safer to drive in the clean snow. you will get better traction on snow than ice.