At courses in driving schools, potential drivers are warned that in the first year after issuing a license, it is better to abandon the idea self-management car in winter period. This is due to the increased difficulty of driving vehicle By snowy roads. Even in major cities road services do not always cope with snow cover on the roads, and in rural areas or outside the main routes, and no attention is paid to cleaning the roads at all. For his own safety, the driver must learn the basic rules of driving on snow and ice in winter time of the year. In addition, these rules are very simple and obvious, but failure to comply with them can cost the driver and pedestrians their lives.
Driving in the snow - basic rules
With experience, drivers begin to feel better about their car, and they don’t even think about how to drive a car in winter. But in the first years behind the wheel, while driving along sections of the road that were covered with snow, You should remember the basic safety rules:
The above rules apply to any type of snow. In total, motorists divide the snow on the road into 3 main categories. Each type of snow has its own driving style, which will help avoid accidents.
In the middle or early winter, snow often falls without rainfall, and it falls loosely on the ground. Often outside the city on country or small roads where there is practically no traffic, such snow can lie untouched by cars and road services. This type Snow is the easiest way to overcome - you need to drive through it at a good speed, trying not to slow down.
Loose snow should fly away from under the wheels of the car, and it is impossible to get stuck in it if you follow the rules for driving on snow-covered roads.
A difficult condition for a car driver is driving in wet snow. The main rule when driving in “heavy” snow is to eliminate as much as possible the possibility of the vehicle stopping completely. The car must create its own track and move along it, rolling new snow into it and overcoming it with tires. Based on the laws of geometry, so that rear tires when turning, they could follow the track created by the front ones, the best option will pass them with the maximum radius.
Attention: If the car has completely stopped in wet snow, through which it moved with great difficulty, it is better to back up a little and then start moving again. This will allow you to return the car to the desired track and continue to coast along it.
Please note that if the task is to cover a large section of road with a car wet snow, it is better to take care of deflating the tire pressure. When driving on a road with such difficult weather conditions, lower the tire pressure to 0.7-1 atmospheres. It is recommended to drive in a pre-selected gear, trying to keep the engine speed at the same level. If you begin to feel that the car may stall, it is better to stop, but not using the brakes, but continuing to drive with the clutch (for a manual transmission) or without pressing the accelerator pedal (for an automatic transmission).
Snow crust is one of the most difficult conditions for vehicle movement. If you have to long trip on snow crust and it cannot be avoided - it is important to prepare tires for this test, and even better, find a partner who also needs to overcome a difficult section of the snowy road.
You should drive on snow crust with deflated tires to a value of 0.3-0.4 atmospheres. Due to the ice formed on the snow mass, the traction of the car's wheels is reduced to almost zero. At the same time, the hard ice crust has great resistance and is difficult to break under the tires. It is recommended to lower the tire pressure in order to increase the area of pressure on the snow crust, which will allow the ice crust to bend and break.
- Come to a complete stop before turning without using the brakes;
- Next, the steering wheel turns slightly in the direction opposite to the turn, and the car moves backward;
- After this, the steering wheel turns slightly in the direction of the turn, and the car moves forward.
Depending on the steepness of the turn, vehicle weight, engine power, snow iciness and other parameters, it may be necessary to repeat the above procedure 2-3 times. This is necessary to maximize the width of the track from which the turn will be made.
If you manage to find a partner to ride across a road where snow crust has formed, he will act as insurance. One of the cars should move forward, pushing through the ice crust underneath, and the second, if necessary, can pull it back if the car gets stuck.
Driving in icy conditions
Rules safe traffic in icy conditions practically do not differ from the methods of moving on snow. However, if a snow mound is often found on low-intensity roads, then ice tends to form on highways, long roads common use and in the city. When driving in icy conditions, you need to be extremely careful and remember the following rules:
Before driving on the roads in winter, carefully prepare your car:
- It must be “shod” with winter tires;
- Mirrors and glass are cleared of frost;
- The “snow cap” must be removed from the roof, which risks ending up on the windshield when braking, which will lead to a dangerous situation;
- Headlights, tail lights and other lighting and indication means must be cleaned.
If you are heading to long trip, be sure to make sure the battery is well charged so you don't have to
Before driving your car into a snowdrift, walk through the snow on foot and assess whether there are any obstacles under the snow. In deep snow, it doesn't matter whether the wheels have studs or not, what matters is having a good tread. However, if the wheel gets to the frozen ground, it is the studs that can provide the best traction. If the snow cover is not high, then it is better not to let the tire pressure go down. Inflated tires bite into the ground faster and cut through ruts more easily.
If the tires are cold, their tread will quickly become clogged with snow. On warm tires, the snow quickly melts and the tread clears, so a little slip before storming the snowdrifts won’t hurt.
If the snow cover is deep, then be sure to reduce the tire pressure, to start with to 1.5 atmospheres. Reduced increases the contact patch with the surface, improves adhesion properties and reduces the specific load pressure. However, if the car still buries itself in the snow, it is necessary to relieve the pressure to 1 atmosphere. After this, it is worth remembering that at low pressure you should avoid sharp turns of the steering wheel, sudden slipping and collisions with large obstacles, as there is a risk of disassembling the wheel.
It is necessary to drive through an area with deep snow immediately; this will require a little acceleration. While driving, turn the steering wheel slightly left and right, this will push the snow in front of the wheels. It is also worth remembering that when driving through snowdrifts, you should avoid turning, since during a turn, each of the wheels follows its own path, as a result you will need to make four ruts.
If the car starts to slip, stop and turn on reverse gear and roll back along your own track. After this, repeat everything again, starting with acceleration, since the wheel support will be more effective on compacted snow. This technique should be repeated until you reach a solid surface.
How to properly drive on a snowy track
So that the car while driving on snowy road not stuck, certain rules must be followed.
Avoid driving on deep ruts, as driving on ruts sooner or later ends in landing on your belly. If the ruts cannot be avoided, then it is better to move into the cut, allowing the rut between the wheels. When moving through the cut is not possible, you should try to move along the track floor, dropping one of the sides of the car into the track, and cling to a flat and hard surface with the wheels of the other side.
In areas with a complex trajectory, but shallow tracks, it is better to drive straight along it so as not to fall off the compacted road into the loose snow. To make it easier to get out of a rut, first turn the steering wheel in the direction opposite to the exit, then add a little gas and immediately turn steering wheel towards the exit and increase the thrust again.
If you didn’t manage to get out of the rut the first time, repeat this technique again and again, increase the amplitude of the car’s swing.
Important to remember! When never cross the track strictly perpendicular, as this is the right way park your car for a long time.
In order to remove the car from snow captivity, you will need shackles and a cable. I would like to note that steel rope is not suitable for these purposes, as it gives too hard a jerk, so you need to purchase a special dynamic sling, which absorbs the shock when the car is pulled out.
Procedure for pulling out a stuck car
The rope must be attached to the towing eye of a stuck vehicle using a shackle. In this case, the shackle bolt is first tightened to the end and then released half a turn so that the thread does not jam while the cable is tensioned.
The cable is attached to the rear of the towing vehicle, as this removes the load on the transmission and eliminates the risk of damage windshield in case of its breakage. It should be remembered that if the cable breaks, you can damage not only the car, but also cause harm to the health of others. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to use a damper. IN field conditions this could be an old jacket that needs to be placed on the rope. Thus, during a jerk, the energy of the cable is extinguished, and it does not fly apart. At the moment of pulling out the car, no one should stand within the reach of the cable and along the towing line.
If the car is stuck on soft ground, then pull it towards solid ground. Accordingly, if the car is stuck in a rut, then we pull it out of the rut at an angle of 45 degrees, with the wheels turned in the direction of pulling out. If you have to pull the car sideways, it is better to do it at a large angle, having previously rolled the track under the wheels of the towed car in order to reduce the obstacle and make it easier for the tow vehicle.
Winter... The driver, triumphant, renews the path in his car... Indeed, thanks to bad weather and the sluggishness of road services, motorists even in large cities have difficulty making their way through the snow. But such a ride, as we remember from the course driving lessons, is fraught with some troubles. What are the dangers of driving in deep snow, and how to drive properly in winter if the snow has just fallen?
Danger at every turn
Anything can be hidden under the snow: potholes, large holes, curbs, all kinds of stones.
In deep snow, you can easily get stuck in such a way that you cannot do without the help of towing. Driving instructors in their classes they warn their students that there are three states of “dangerous” snow:
"Puffy"
This is freshly fallen snow, very loose and not dense. If there is a lot of it, then it is better to overcome such an obstacle at speed, maintaining inertia. The snow easily scatters to the sides, and it is easy to pass the obstacle.
Heavy and wet snow
Here the salvation will be to reduce the tire pressure. 0.7-1 atmospheres is enough (depending on the situation) for the car to easily drive on such snow.
When driving on such a surface, considerable rolling resistance is created by the wheels, so the car quickly loses acceleration. Therefore, you should choose the optimal engine operating mode and gear to at least slightly compensate for the resistance and prevent wheel slipping. It’s better to move, so to speak, in tension, “trampling” the rut. Thus, you will feel how the car behaves, its engine, wheels and other structural elements directly involved in such a complex task.
Felt that the car is moving It’s a bit heavy, is it starting to stall? Be sure to stop, but without using the brakes.
On an automatic transmission, you just need to take your foot off the gas, and on a manual transmission, squeeze the clutch. Back up, if necessary, get out of the car and see what exactly is stopping you. Next is the second attempt, the third and so on. By moving back and forth, a track is formed, along which it will be easier to drive.
It is especially important to prevent the wheels from slipping, otherwise the car will start to get stuck and the already knurled layer will come off. It is recommended to start driving when the front wheels are aligned straight ahead. Try to keep the rear ones on the track trodden by the front ones. This will reduce rolling resistance. But turns should be calculated so that they have the maximum possible radius. So, rear wheels will follow the track of the front ones.
Nast and cereals
This is the most dangerous state of snow. You need to move along it extremely carefully, and with flat tires, up to 0.3 atm. It’s better to move back and forth, clearing your way. The crust creates more resistance, and the grip of the wheels is minimal.
The optimal option for driving is in pairs, when the first car serves as a kind of ram, and the second one serves as insurance, that is, it pulls the first one back.
Riding Rules
Alternately engage reverse and forward gears, gradually clearing the road for yourself with the wheels. If you need to turn, follow these rules:
- Approach the turn in a straight line.
- You need to turn the steering wheel slightly in the direction opposite to the turn, and then drive back. At this stage, half of each wheel of the car should travel along the rolled track, while the second half widens this track.
- Next, turn the steering wheel a little in the direction of the turn and drive forward. The rolled track expands.
- We repeat the previous two steps until we pass the turn.
Video on how to drive in deep snow:
Have an easy and calm journey!
Image taken from club-picanto.ru
Winter off-roading is a national Russian pastime. Every local driver should be able to conquer it...
Why is the car slipping even though it hasn’t landed on its belly? How to drive on virgin snow? Most inexperienced owners of all-wheel drive vehicles face these or similar questions in winter.
MATERIAL PART
Great Wall H6 - a car with a modern rigid monocoque body and independent suspension all wheels. Anti-lock braking system with distribution function braking forces(ABS+EBD) increases safety on slippery surfaces, and the low center of gravity and effective shock absorbers allow you to drive confidently in winter.
Not for kangaroos. You should not get carried away with jumping on this snowmobile; the frame design may not withstand heavy loads
But the main doubts and disputes arise regarding rubber. Which tread is better - mud, all-purpose or winter? Alas, miracles do not happen. They always work better in the snow and in all circumstances. Winter tires. This is not surprising - after all, they have specially designed small slats that are able to hold on to snow and ice stronger than other varieties. By the way, if you do not consider the winter covering of rivers and lakes, as well as road ice, then snow is also a type of ice, only in a looser form. Under the influence of tires, the snow is compacted and can turn into normal hard ice. The large tread pattern of off-road tires in such cases becomes absolutely useless. Universal is better, but also imperfect. So let's learn the first rule: to move on snow we use winter tires, and preferably with spikes.
DON'T BRAKE!
Not so long ago, when in our country winter tires existed only as a theory, experienced drivers carried a bag of sand in the trunk in winter. IN heavy ice Some climbs on uncleaned trails become insurmountable. And sometimes you can’t even leave the gate of a private house. Added sand helps avoid slipping.
And the most slippery thing road surface- ice moistened with water at a temperature of about zero degrees or slightly higher. This is the so-called “black ice”. The car glides along it like butter. Let's consider the most typical mistake newcomers. The steering wheel is turned all the way, but the car continues to drive straight. We reflexively press on the brake and... we fly into a snowdrift. What should have been done? Set the front wheels to a less turned-out position and do not press the brake too hard, that is, use the traction of the wheels to “tuck” the car into the turn. Hence the second rule: when you find yourself on a slippery area, do not turn the steering wheel sharply and do not use the brakes if possible. Therefore, even on a flat and straight road you should avoid high speed. Smooth actions with the steering wheel and gas will make the car, albeit reluctantly, still respond. Abrupt maneuvering will definitely lead to trouble.
Tread. If the frost is severe and the tires are cold, the tread becomes clogged with snow.
Warm. If the tires are warm, for example after heavy slipping, the tread will melt the snow and clean itself
Check it out. Before crossing a snowdrift, make sure there is no stump or fence hiding underneath it
DROWN, JUST DROWN!
Snow is not soil. This is frozen water. You can only ride on the snow surface on skis, sleds and tracks, sometimes on ultra-low pressure tires. All other movers first dig to a solid base and then move forward. This is how animal paws and hooves, human legs and car wheels work. It’s impossible to drive while leaning on the snow. So for driving in deep snow, narrow tires with winter protector. With tire pressure, the opposite is also true. It is better to keep it no lower than when driving on asphalt. This allows the tire to quickly reach the hard bottom under the snow. At the same time, the car “yaws” less, cutting ruts in the snow more easily.
BACK AND FORTH
On snowdrifts, or more precisely, on the top layer of snow cover, if it is not a “concrete” crust, you can only move on skis, tracks or ultra-low pressure tires. All other movers must get to the bottom of things before they start working. Therefore, for driving on loose snow, tires with a thick winter tread and narrower tread than in summer are best suited. With pressure in them, everything is also the opposite. It is advisable to raise it a little and keep it no lower than for asphalt. This will allow the wheels to reach solid support faster. Also on narrow tires the car will “yaw” less and cut ruts easier.
Hook. 
In cold weather, compacted snow gives a very good grip, almost like on asphalt
You need to overcome the snowdrift at speed, accelerating in advance. Just make sure first that there are no solid obstacles under it - for example, concrete blocks or the like. While moving, always turn the steering wheel a quarter turn to the right or left, “pushing” the snow in front of you with your wheels and effectively using the side grips of the tires. If the car stops, don’t accelerate or skid! Engage reverse gear and go back a little along your own track. Then forward again. So, little by little, you can make a rut even in deep virgin soil. Main principle- trample snow under the wheels for better support. It is more difficult if you need to change direction. Each wheel will follow its own path, and there will be four ruts. Take your time and continue to use the back and forth technique. This will take more time, but it will allow you to get out on your own. But it’s still better to try to maintain the most linear vector possible, avoiding turns. Or you will have to take out a shovel and dig. In the snow, as well as on the sand, this is the most reliable means of salvation that should always be with you.
KNOW by heart
Use winter tires in winter. If possible, studded.
Avoid on ice sudden movements steering wheel and brake action.
When driving in snow, hold high blood pressure in tires.
Before storming a snowdrift, make sure there are no solid obstacles underneath it.
On virgin soil, steer left and right; if you can’t move forward without slipping, back up.
Always keep a shovel in your trunk.
Finally we waited for snow and frost. And no matter how much the city authorities claim that they are ready for winter season(I mean snow on the roads), all the same - the snow fell unexpectedly, and it began... Kilometer-long traffic jams at almost every intersection, accidents, nerves, the hum of signals, and so on... I looked at all this and decided to write For car enthusiasts, here are some tips on how to drive a car in winter.
When darkness falls, the driver's visibility always wants to be better, especially when it has already gotten dark, but the lights have not yet turned on. When driving, glare from the headlights of oncoming cars often makes you squint and lose sight of the road for a second. Or the car window is fogged up from the inside, and the light of oncoming cars makes it impossible to see at all. To avoid being blinded by oncoming cars, buy yourself car glasses (cost from 150 hryvnia). Glasses remove glare from drops, improve visibility, increase image contrast, and block reflected light.
You should also keep your windows and rearview mirrors clean. To ensure that there are no streaks on the inside of the glass, you need to wipe it with soapy water or table salt. Then the glass inside will always be clean and will not fog up.
At low temperatures It is necessary to fill the windshield washer reservoir with undiluted washer fluid concentrate (from 25 hryvnia per 1 liter of liquid with frost resistance up to -20 degrees).
Change the route of travel - the driver drives along his usual route almost “on autopilot” and loses vigilance and attentiveness. Changing the route forces you to gather yourself and be more attentive.
Many people keep the same speed in both winter and summer, probably a habit. So, the driver, accustomed to maintaining the same speed, inadequately assesses the road situation and surface. As a rule, in the first days of snowfall and bad roads the speed must be reduced to 20-30 km/h.
Also an important component of safe traffic on the road is the distance between cars. Do not forget about the need to hold it, and when slippery road– increase.
If the car has ABS, you need to press the brake pedal hard (the electronics will do the rest for the driver).
If the car does not have ABS, it is necessary to brake by pressing the brake pedal several times: this is how the driver imitates the action anti-lock braking system wheels
It is also important to know about engine braking - by downshifting you reduce the likelihood of the drive wheels locking when braking. If the car is with automatic transmission gears, engine braking is necessary by switching the gearbox selector from the Drive position to the N position.
Often, entering a turn at high speed leads to the car skidding and serious accidents. So it’s better to prevent this drift. Of course, the driver can hope that defensive driving techniques will help him. However, it is worth remembering that they bear fruit if they are practiced for several hours on a special platform, and bare theory will not play a decisive role in a dangerous situation.
So, remember: when entering a turn, you need to slow down and switch to a lower gear, and under no circumstances press the brake - you will definitely skid.
Very often, accidents involving pedestrians occur in the early morning or evening, when the lights are turned off (or they have not yet been turned on). So remember, when approaching a crossing, especially in dark time day or twilight, it is better to move your foot from the gas pedal to the brake, regardless of whether there is a pedestrian there or not (you never know).
The main rule for the driver is when approaching pedestrian crossing, slow down!!!
So, before you enter deep snow you don’t need to immediately give the gas and fly “at the most I don’t want to” until you get completely stuck. It is necessary to “tromp down the snow”, drive a little forward, back up, then forward again, but drive further, etc. The same should be done when entering the parking lot if there is untouched snow. It is much easier to leave the “trodden” snow.
If you do drive in and get stuck in a snowdrift, or drive onto ice and the car doesn’t want to go anywhere, front wheel drive car You can turn the steering wheel in different directions while lightly pressing the gas pedal.
Remember!!! If you accelerate too much in the snow, the car will definitely bury itself.
If this technique does not help or the car has rear-wheel drive:
- on manual box gears – you need to give the car a swing, that is, in first gear we try to drive forward a little, at the peak of the car’s ascent we press the clutch and the car rolls back (if you are confident in your reaction speed, then at this moment you can quickly engage reverse gear and press a little gas for a greater pendulum effect), at the peak of the rollback, lightly give the gas again and drive forward (the procedure, as a rule, helps).
- the gearbox is automatic - we do the same, but here it is necessary to catch the moment of swing and carefully adjust the rotation speed of the drive axle to avoid burying in the snow.
Remember! When rocking the car, you must keep the wheels straight!
Carry with you some sand in the trunk, a shovel and a hatchet (with a hatchet you can make cuts on slippery ice, if sand does not help). Personally, I have this entire set in my trunk. To be honest, I haven’t had a chance to use it yet, but if anything happens, I’ll be fully armed. You can also put floor mats under the wheels to get out of snowdrifts and ice. The main thing is to pick them up later, without forgetting them in the snow.
Lifting must be done on high speed. If you start climbing at high speed, the car simply will not have enough traction and it will stall. If possible, the lift should be made not directly at 90 degrees, but slightly to the side. This will distribute the load on the wheels more evenly and give the wheels more grip. If in a front-wheel drive car you couldn’t drive up the hill from the front, then you can try to do it backwards. Experts say this technique helps in many cases.
When descending a snow-covered hill, you need to switch to a lower gear and under no circumstances to “neutral” (when descending without a gear engaged, the likelihood of the car skidding increases many times over). Low gear will create additional wheel blocking. At the end of the descent, without turning off the gear, press the brake pedal several times, and when the descent is completed, gently press the gas.
Ideally, it is better not to get into a rut. But if there is no other way to drive, it is worth remembering that you must not move quickly in a rut; if an obstacle arises on the road, then it is better to look for a more convenient exit in advance. When leaving a rut, you need to slow down, turn the steering wheel in the direction of the turn and give a little gas. However, be prepared for the wheels to lock and the car to skid.
If the track is very slippery, you must first turn the steering wheel slightly in the other direction from the required exit side, and then quickly turn in the direction we need (we give the car a rocking motion). The main thing in this maneuver is not to overdo it with a sharp turn and not cause the car to skid.
Much easier for drivers vehicles with ESP system (system directional stability car), there the computer monitors and helps the driver to prevent the car from slipping into a skid.
But still, as they say, God protects those who are careful. Remember, it's best to slow down and be prepared for extreme situation than relying entirely on a computer.
Tip nine. Attend a defensive driving school
Lessons at school extreme driving They give both novice and experienced drivers a set of very important knowledge and skills that will be useful in extreme situations.
The first question that arises for a person who decides to study at such a school is: which car to study on - his own or the instructor’s? Experienced drivers it is advised to choose the second option, since the chassis own car, brakes and tires will be intact.
Before starting classes, an experienced trainer must watch and evaluate the skills of a new student and select an individual training program for him. After this, the student practices the following exercises on the site:
- high speed taxiing,
- emergency braking,
- emergency avoidance of obstacles,
- high-speed cornering,
- parking in narrow places.
Below is a list of some Kyiv schools, their contacts and helpful information for those who decide to take a defensive driving course.
