How can car owners drive better? What should they pay attention to when using their vehicles? This column will provide some car tips for car owners to refer to.
Avoid sudden steering on snowy days
These days have been getting colder. A car owner who went back to their hometown for the Spring Festival said on WeChat that it’s snowing there, and driving on snowy roads is really not easy—especially steering, as sudden steering can lead to car accidents. That’s why they dare not drive at all in their hometown now.
Regarding this situation, automotive experts say that when driving in snowy weather, avoid sudden steering, rapid acceleration, or hard braking, and try to drive at low speeds as much as possible. While driving, even a slight mistake can easily cause the vehicle to skid. Whether your car has ABS or not, it's best to tap the brakes a few times before actually braking—this alerts the vehicle behind to slow down and helps avoid rear-end collisions. When turning during driving, try to steer smoothly, and avoid making steering adjustments in the middle of the curve to prevent the car from sliding sideways.
Avoid using the handbrake on snowy days if possible
Just after the beginning of spring, most northern cities have had snow. A friend who drove back to Shaanxi for the New Year asked on WeChat yesterday that they couldn’t release the handbrake—the brake disc was frozen—and asked if there were any good suggestions to avoid such occurrences.
Actually, no matter where you are, car owners are used to pulling the handbrake when parking to prevent rolling. But in snowy weather, the brake discs and pads usually get wet from snow. If you pull the handbrake when parking at night, the brake discs may freeze. So it’s best to park on a flat road, leave the car in the parking gear, and also find a support to secure the vehicle. This minimizes the chance of both the brake discs freezing and the car rolling.
Don't panic if your car skids or fishtails
It’s common to see car owners panic when their vehicle skids or fishtails while driving.
In fact, when this happens, don’t panic. Instead, gently ease off the accelerator and slightly correct the steering. Keep adjusting between steering and correcting, but not too much—stay within the normal wheel path. Once the car is steady, gently apply the brakes until you’ve fully regained control. Never slam on the brakes when skidding or fishtailing, as this can make the vehicle completely uncontrollable and cause an accident.
Car batteries are also afraid of low temperatures
In the entire vehicle, the car battery is one of the components most vulnerable to low temperatures. In cold environments, a battery’s capacity is much lower than at normal temperatures. The typical lifespan of a car battery is two years, and since this period often falls in cold seasons, car owners should regularly have their battery terminals checked and maintained at 4S shops to ensure a solid connection between the battery and jumper cables, improving conductivity.