Here you will find an overview of the techniques of driving on ice that we will cover in our driving courses . The following concepts are essential for safe winter driving. It is therefore very useful to know them, even if nothing replaces practice. That's why we offer our ice driving courses to practice all these techniques, with a good touch of fun in addition!
1: Prepare your vehicle well for winter driving
In winter, the driver is likely to encounter difficult conditions on his road: snow, ice, water, cold and low sunlight. This is a real problem, both for vehicles and drivers. Properly preparing your vehicle already reduces the risk of accidents while driving, especially in winter conditions. To properly prepare your vehicle for driving on ice and snow in winter, already observe the following points:
- Tyres: This is the key point for safety in winter. You must install winter tires, in good condition, and not too old (over time the rubber of the tires deteriorates).
- Battery: Recharge or replace battery if low.
- Headlights: Check the headlights to make sure you can see well.
- Have the brakes checked and adjusted to be sure you have balanced braking.
- Make sure the windshield wipers work well. Replace them if they are worn.
- Fill the washer fluid reservoir with fluid that is resistant to freezing temperatures.
2 – How to drive in winter conditions?
Put on your seat belt.
SLOW DOWN ! The potential grip on snow and ice is 10 times less than the grip you experience on dry. Posted speed limits are based on ideal road conditions, so they should not be relied upon. On a snowy road, you have to drive slowly. Reducing your driving speed is the best preventive measure against the problems that can arise when driving on ice and snow on slippery road surfaces.
Slow down when approaching an intersection, crossing, bridge….
Leave more distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you. The braking distance on a snow-covered road is four times that on a dry road.
Be gentle with the controls, steering wheel, gas and brake. On snow, the grip limit is quickly reached. Each shock or sudden handling causes you to skid: No braking, no steering, no gas!
Steer using slow, precise movements. Changing lanes too quickly and jerky driving when braking or accelerating can cause a skid.
Be alert and slow down when approaching a bridge. Bridges are usually icy, even when the deck is plowed (bridges cool faster than the road, which tends to be insulated by solid ground).
Be patient and only pass other cars when it is safe to do so.
3 – How to brake on a slippery road?
1st point : Anticipate! Braking will be all the more difficult as it is delayed, all the more so if it is delayed in the turn.
2nd point : Brake in a straight line! Braking is more effective in a straight line, before corners. You have to brake early to avoid having to brake in curves afterwards.
Here are the 2 scenarios where the technique to apply will be different depending on your vehicle:
Your car is not fitted with ABS (anti-lock braking system):
As soon as the need arises, press the brakes, trying not to lock the wheels. In case of blockage, release the pressure exerted on the pedal and press again in the same way. Repeat this technique until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. This technique requires practice away from open roads. There's nothing like a circuit driving lesson for this: Check out our ice driving courses on the Abondance circuit where you can improve your skills at the wheel of your car. Our driving advice will be directly adapted to your vehicle.
Your car is equipped with ABS (anti-lock braking system):
In this case, no need to pump the pedal to unlock the wheels, the electronics take care of it. Simply maintain pressure on the brake pedal until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. The pedal will vibrate, this is normal, hold the pressure. This technique also requires testing before being sure of yourself and braking properly: train in a driving course on ice .
4 – What to do in case of a skid?
In this case, it is your reflexes that will act...it is therefore not at all obvious that only theoretical advice can be used. In addition to having understood the theory, it will be necessary that the practice becomes a reflex since it will be necessary to act in a few tenths of a second. To work therefore in driving course on ice .
It is not at all obvious to answer this question simply. There are indeed several types of slippage and above all several origins to this slippage. Depending on the origin, the reactions will not be the same. We will see below the cases of Oversteer and Understeer, how to react.
Here are the first general points to apply in the event of a skid:
- First of all, stay calm
- Look in the direction you want to go and steer the steering wheel in that direction.
- DON'T SPEED!
- If your car has a manual transmission, shift the clutch.
- DON'T BRAKE!
Note: it will always be best to anticipate well so as not to find yourself in this situation.
5 – The gaze
Projecting your gaze as far as possible is essential for good driving. You always have to look far in the direction you want to go. This applies to both normal and emergency situations. In any case, our eyes will guide the steering wheel in the direction we are looking. In general, if we look towards the tree, we end up in it…. If we look at the exit of the turn, we are doing well. The gaze will be an important point addressed during the driving course. We insist all the more that on ice or snow, the car is not always in line with the road, so you have to turn your head well to aim in the right direction.
6 – Drift situations on ice or snow
These theoretical notions are developed below, but be careful, in no case should you imagine mastering them by simply reading them. It will take a lot of practice on the circuit, mistakes and exercises for the theory to become acquired in practice. During our ice driving courses, it will be our objective that these notions become obvious to you and that the actions to correct them are no longer just reflexes for you.
In addition to knowing how to react in the event of a drift, practice will tell how the car will drift before it even happens. It will therefore be easier for you later to avoid any surprise slips.
Understeer
Understeer is when you turn the steering wheel, and the car goes straight, even if you add more steering.
This happens in 2 cases:
1: When you enter a curve at a steady pace and the turn gets tighter and tighter without you having slowed down enough. The front wheels quickly no longer turn enough to follow the trajectory. To stop this phenomenon, it is necessary to put the load on the front axle, slow down slightly by releasing the gases. This phenomenon must be anticipated as soon as possible because it will inevitably make you deviate from the right trajectory, or even cross your lane if it is not corrected very quickly. Brake early, in a straight line, before the turn!
2: With traction, when exiting a bend on re-acceleration, the vehicle veers to the outside. In this case the understeer comes from over-acceleration. You're asking too much of your front wheels: turning out of the corner and accelerating too much at the same time. It suffices here to reduce the acceleration so that the vehicle remains on its trajectory.
The oversteer
Oversteer is when your car's rear axle veers sideways until you want to spin around completely and end up in reverse.
2 scenarios:
1: When entering a turn, you enter too hard on the brakes (with a lot of load on the front wheels while the rear wheels are unloaded). Centrifugal force causes the rear axle to stall, which has less grip. To stop this phenomenon, it is necessary to restore adhesion to the rear axle by removing the feet from the brake, and by putting the gas back on. The throttle dosage will be different depending on whether the car is front-wheel drive (lots of throttle) or rear-wheel drive (light throttle). At the level of the steering wheel, it must be turned towards where you want to go, or towards the outside if the vehicle wants to pivot towards the inside of the curve.
2: With self-propulsion, when re-accelerating out of a corner, the rear of the vehicle swings outwards. The oversteer here comes from overacceleration. You are asking too much of your rear wheels: absorbing the centrifugal force to exit the bend and accelerating too much at the same time. It suffices here to reduce the acceleration so that the vehicle remains on its trajectory. Turn the steering wheel in the direction of your trajectory to put the vehicle back on the axis.
Appeal against appeal
The call / counter-call is the most effective technique for pilots on ice and loose surfaces. This amounts to inducing voluntary oversteer with the aim of keeping the car drifting. This is a very effective technique for going faster for performance purposes, but it is by no means a technique to be used on the road, except in an emergency if it is mastered.
Example: In a right turn, you accelerate until you give a first turn of the steering wheel to the left. When entering the curve, we give another turn to the right, which will swing the car, transfer the load to the other side and thus put it into oversteer.
Hand brake
To be used exclusively in an emergency, to turn the car when it no longer wants to turn. This trick requires a lot of training (on the circuit, in a driving course on ice) to consider being able to use it on the road and improve its safety in the event of an emergency.
Conclusions / Tips for driving on ice and snow in winter
- Fit winter tires
- Drive slowly
- Brake before straight turns, and keep your foot above the brake pedal when entering a turn.
- Test your vehicle before being in irreparable situations
- All this theory is very complicated… Come and practice on the circuit to improve your skills in complete safety. Ice driving courses are made for that and our instructors will help you progress!
See you soon on a driving course on the ABONDANCE ice circuit!
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