Before Driving
Snow Removal from Your Car. Early in the morning, when you see your beloved car covered in a thick layer of snow, do not immediately use the windshield wipers, as this may tear the frozen rubber. Instead, gently lift the wipers and use a brush or duster to remove the snow from the car’s surface. Heavy snow not only adds weight to the vehicle but also severely affects the driver’s visibility and can corrode the car paint. Open the car door carefully because the handles can freeze in snowy and rainy weather—never force them open, as this could damage the handles. If there’s a lot of ice, you can pour some warm water on them.
Once inside the car, start the engine, turn the air conditioning to the heater setting, and direct the airflow toward the front windshield. Also, turn on the rear defroster. Wait until the ice on the front windshield melts before driving cautiously. In general, cars have a snow mode that should be activated in low temperatures—don’t forget to turn it on. However, the car may still slip when starting. If pressing the gas pedal gently doesn’t work, you’ll need to press harder while turning the steering wheel slightly to push away the loose snow and pack down the snow under the wheels to gain traction. If luck isn’t on your side, you may need outside help.
Is Longer Engine Warm-Up Always Better? Experts say that as long as the engine reaches a stable and normal idle speed, it’s sufficient. Usually, after just the time it takes to wipe the car or stretch your legs, the idle speed will reach normal levels. Experts warn that idling for too long to warm up the engine increases fuel consumption and carbon buildup, and it doesn’t help raise the operating temperature of the catalytic converter.
Slowing Down Is Key
When driving on snowy or icy roads, the likelihood of rear-end collisions is much higher than on dry roads, mainly because tire traction is significantly reduced. Therefore, it's crucial to increase the following distance. Experts suggest maintaining a gap that is about three to four times larger than usual. Following too closely makes it difficult to control braking distance. Remember and even silently repeat to yourself: Increase the gap and drive slowly…
Slamming on the brakes in snowy conditions is a foolish move. Even if your car has an ABS system, it is not the sole guarantee for maintaining proper braking trajectory on extremely slippery roads. The correct method is “pulsing the brakes”—in short, pressing and releasing the brake pedal gently to gradually bring the car to a stop. For cars without ABS, this technique is even more essential.
Speed should be kept within safe limits during snowy weather. Try to avoid overtaking on icy or snowy roads, and never force an overtake. After overtaking, don’t immediately change lanes back—instead, try to leave enough safe distance for the car you just passed. When taking turns, be especially cautious to avoid snowy or icy patches in the curves. If you can't avoid icy road sections, shift to a lower gear early, slow down, and proceed with caution.
The key to driving in snowy weather is to go “slow.” Experts say that unpredictable factors are numerous when driving in the snow, and vehicles are prone to skidding or spinning, increasing the risk of accidents. Maintain at least double the usual following distance, keep your speed low, stay alert to surrounding vehicles and road conditions, and be ready to adapt at any moment.
Driving uphill on snowy roads is extremely dangerous. Keep at least double the normal following distance. When going downhill, use engine braking together with the brakes—do not rely solely on the brakes. If you fail to start moving, pull the handbrake immediately and try again using the handbrake assist. Don’t panic too much either, to avoid making mistakes under stress.
Foggy Weather Calls for Calm
Visibility is low and vision is blurred during foggy conditions, which can easily cause drivers to misjudge situations. Additionally, wet and slippery roads reduce braking efficiency, increasing the chances of skidding or rollovers. Therefore, before driving in fog, thoroughly check your car’s lighting system. Follow lighting regulations while driving: turn on fog lights, tail lights, clearance lights, and low-beam headlights to maximize visibility and clearly see vehicles and pedestrians. It’s especially important not to use high beams in fog, as their upward-angled light is reflected by fog particles, creating a white wall of light in front of you and impairing visibility instead.
Don’t rush when driving in fog. When visibility is between 500 and 200 meters, do not exceed 80 km/h; when it’s between 200 and 100 meters, do not exceed 60 km/h; when it’s between 100 and 50 meters, do not exceed 40 km/h; when visibility is within 30 meters, keep your speed under 20 km/h. If visibility drops to around 10 meters, limit your speed to under 5 km/h. In cases of heavy fog with extremely poor visibility, it’s best to park your car on the side of the road or in a parking lot, and wait until the fog clears or visibility improves before continuing.
In foggy conditions where visibility is poor, frequently honking your horn can alert pedestrians and other vehicles. When you hear another car’s horn, respond immediately by honking back to signal your location.
Additionally, if there’s a traffic jam in the fog, try not to stay inside your car. Get out quickly, move away from the road, climb over the roadside guardrail, and wait outside the roadway to avoid injuries from potential rear-end collisions.
Special Tips
Route Selection Tips: Choosing your route on snowy or icy roads directly impacts safety and smooth driving. Stay as straight as possible and avoid frequent lane changes. Where tire tracks are visible, it’s best to follow them. In areas without tracks, pay attention to landmarks to determine the road direction, beware of hidden potholes under the snow, and if possible, drive along the center of the road. Also, when taking turns in winter, be especially careful to avoid snowy or icy patches in the curves. If you can’t avoid icy sections, shift to a lower gear early, slow down, and proceed cautiously. Once you’ve slowed down, take wide, gentle turns—do not make sharp turns, brake in the middle of a curve, or shift to neutral. Also, stay aware of other road conditions.
Overtaking Tips: Overtaking in snowy or icy conditions is very risky. If absolutely necessary, choose wide, straight sections of road with sufficient safe distance ahead. After overtaking, don’t immediately change lanes back—leave ample safe space for the car you passed. In case of emergencies, do not slam on the brakes; it’s better to keep some room for anticipation.
Parking Tips: When parking outdoors on snowy nights, it’s best not to use the handbrake. After driving on wet and slippery roads, the brake discs and calipers retain a lot of moisture, and engaging the handbrake afterward may cause it to freeze, preventing the car from moving the next day or damaging the braking system. To prevent the car from moving, drivers of manual transmission vehicles can leave the car in first or reverse gear.
Braking Tips: Braking in winter emphasizes being “early” and “gentle.” Even on roads without snow or ice, braking effectiveness in winter differs from other seasons and tends to feel slightly “harder.” Therefore, when driving in winter, begin braking earlier and apply gentle pressure, combining it with gear reduction braking when possible. On snowy or icy roads, try to avoid using the brakes as much as possible.