Has your car ever slid while driving in snow?

Question

This happened to me today and I was so nervous I didn't want to drive all the way home. I was turning out of a parking lot onto the road and the back went one way and I was on the other side of the road. Thank God no one was coming the other way!

Answer 1

I live in the lucky country and snow is not a problem unless we head for the hills in winter.

it sounds very scarey to me. be careful, at all times.

Answer 2

The first rule of slippery driving is to steer  into a skid. The reason for this is to keep all four wheels rolling so you have some control. Steering against the skid just puts sideways force on the wheels that are already sliding sideways, and guarantees you'll continue to skid. If you can get all four wheels rolling straight ahead, you have some chance of being able to turn. Practicing skidding in an empty parking lot is a good way to learn how to control your car on slippery roads.

Answer 3

This happens to everybody sooner or later. What I did was find an abandoned runway and learn to drive on it. I had a lot of fun doing it, because there was nothing to hit, only more snow. My top tip for you though is take it real slow, keep your eyes wide open and drive really smoothly, dont make any sudden moves with your steering or brakes. Try to see if anybody runs a skid pan in your area, again a lot of fun, but what you learn may save a life.

Answer 4

First, a vehicle cannot slow down and stop rapidly. Remember, everything slows down. On dry roads, automobiles depend upon their brakes to reduce their speed and fiction between the tires and the road to reduce their momentum and stop.

On snow-covered roads there is significantly less fiction between the tires and the road, and therefore it takes longer for the vehicle to lose its momentum and come to a complete stop. So, if a driver rapidly applied his brakes on a snow-covered road, his vehicle is very likely to go into a slide.

Next, if a vehicle cannot stop rapidly, a vehicle cannot start rapidly. Any attempts to accelerate suddenly on snow will always result in the vehicle’s tires spinning freely.

Rapid acceleration while on a snow-covered highway, such as an attempt to pass, is equally bad and can result in the vehicle spinning out of control.

Remember, since everything slows down, take it easy on the accelerator pedal and only increase the vehicle’s speed slowly.

Answer 5

Ahhh winter!  Do you have front wheel drive or rear wheel drive?  They react differently on slippery roads.....also, do you have anti lock brakes? They also might help if you panic and hit the brake by mistake when skidding.....at least you can maintain some steering control if you lock up the brakes. I drive as if I don't have "anti lock" brakes, but some training will help you understand them.

I agree with other contributors when they tell you they have practiced in empty parking lots or somewhere else which is safe and you wont do any property damage. Practicing is the best way to learn how to get some confidence in handling skids. Your local driving school might have a winter driving course too. They will give you proper training which is better than listening to your friends or relatives advice.

First of all, think about the temperature outside. Also think about what it felt like "walking" to your car. How it felt under your feet is what it will feel like driving your car. In warmer temperatures (just below or above freezing), the moisture is present in the snow and slushy and very slippery conditions exist. If the temperature is very cold, the moisture is frozen in the snow and there will be "some" grip available when walking or driving your tires on the snow covered road surface.

Secondly, drive according to the road and parking lot road surface conditions. On snow covered road surfaces, it's best to accelerate very slowly, reduce your speed, increase your following distance, brake early and gently, and remain patient because everything slows down, and even moreso if there's a crash. If you are hit from behind due to a skid for example, and you are pushed forward into the car ahead of you because you are too close to begin with, YOUR insurance will pay for damage to the person you hit (causing YOUR insurance rates to increase), regardless of the fact that YOU were hit from behind.......because YOU were too close to the car ahead of you........so, stay back! Also, if you are making forward progress in deeper snow or slush, keep moving forward steadily (don't accelerate too much and keep the wheels as straight as possible), so you don't get bogged down and stuck....look at the road surface ahead and take the path of least resistance (i.e. areas where there is less snow or where there are some tire tracks to follow). When making lane changes, keep the steering as straight as possible, looking well ahead into the lane you intend to go.

Personally I think everyone living in a "winter climate zone" should have mandatory winter driver training to learn safer techniques. Most people rely on so-called "technology" to keep safe on the roads.....i.e. traction control, winter tires, anti lock brakes.......but........it's the "nut behind the wheel" which is the most important piece of equipment! Know your vehicle's limitations (tire condition, mechanical problems), and also know your own physical and mental limitations when you get behind the wheel. Are you "glad, glad"? Are you "sad, sad"? Are you "mad, mad"? Are you tired? Are you not feeling well?

We all have skills, and we all have talents, but we all lack self-discipline................anyway, learn how to drive in the snow and you'll feel so much more confident driving winter roads!

Answer 6

Sure it does. Many times I do this on purpose.  If I am in a wide open parking lot I will get some speed up, I will sharply cut the wheel to see how my van reacts. Many times I will pull up on the emergency brake to slide the rear of the van around.  Then at the right moment I will drop the brake and hit the gas.  This helps improve my snowy road driving skills.  It does help that I am running a full set of winter tires.  Traction is so much better in the snow and ice.

Good Luck

Answer 7

I live on the coast of California, in a city that gets snow, perhaps, once every ten years, and, even then, not enough to stick to the ground.

Funny thing about US Californians:  Unless we live in a snowy region, we are, probably, the WORST bad weather drivers in the nation.  (My own opinion, of course!)  The thing is, that we have beautiful mountain ranges in California, and many of us are fond of driving up the mountains for recreation and sightseeing.  But, because most of drive in reasonably good weather, most of the time, we don't take even fundamental precautions when the weather turns sour.  Those of us who routinely drive ten, fifteen, twenty miles an hour, or more, faster than the speed limit, continue to drive that way in wet and snowy conditions.

Naturally, many of us die.

I was staying at a cabin, one winter, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, just an hour or so on the other side of the border.  My wife and I spent a couple of hours at a casino.  When we left, instead of leaving the parking lot via one of the main driveways, I decided to avoid traffic by coming out a side entrance, and take some back streets to our cabin.  I consider myself one of the more cautious drivers in bad weather.  I was, barely, idling along at a pretty slow rate of speed and saw a stop sign up ahead.  I slowed down and applied, what I thought was, a light pressure on the brake.

In spooky silence, my van slid completely through the intersection without any perceptible stopping activity.  I took my foot off the brake and then, let the motor slow the car down to a near stop.  We were lucky that there was no cross traffic anywhere in sight.

Answer 8

No i have never slid while driving my SUV because i have many options like high raised suspension and low raised suspension so when the snow is to high i can raise my vehicle up higher and  if it is ice  under the snow i can put the suspension lower for a stiffer comfortable ride

Answer 9

Sure, it's happened to me.  I live in Vermont.  Just this past weekend, as I was on my way to a friend's house, I slid right past his street and stopped in a snow bank.    The good thing is I know how to react when I start sliding.  I intentionally landed in the snow bank.  And by the time I got there, I was moving so slowly that it was like I hit a soft pillow and did absolutely no damage to my car.

Answer 10

Oh yea its happened Before , sometimes it cant be helped.

I ended up getting a 4wd truck , an I've had pretty good luck with not sliding !!! *Knocks on wood* (theres Ice on the streets now ...)

Answer 11

yep! all the time, but i do it purposely. We go to an old parking lot (there's nothing but flat asphalt and snow and set up cones and drift it. its a blast. IT is scary when it happens to you on the road, especially your first time. the best thing to do is over-steer to correct the rear wheels movement, and let off the gas (but don't slam on the brake). your car should level off then.

Answer 12

It has happened to me a lot...  mainly because I live in Kansas.  The one time I remember though:  I was on a 4 lane highway, and had decided to turn around and go back home, because the roads were so slick.  I spun out of control, and was spinning my wheels, when I looked up and saw an ambulance headed right for me, and since it was slick and it couldn't stop, they hit me.  Come to find out, the patient in the ambulance had been in another wreck, and they were taking her to the hospital.

Talk about a bad day!!!