How to drive in snow safely

Smooth is the name of the game when driving in winter. As snow and ice reduce the friction between the tyres and the road, any sudden vehicle movements can cause you to lose control. Follow the advice below to safety navigate wintry conditions on the road.

The way your vehicle’s drivetrain distributes power to the wheels is key to how it handles on slippery surfaces. The four main types of drivetrain configurations are front-wheel drive (FWD), rear-wheel drive (RWD), all-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD). AWD and 4WD layouts are the best for winter conditions.
Each configuration behaves differently on slippery roads, as detailed below.

• FWD — This setup is most common in passenger cars and crossovers. It sends the engine’s power to the front wheels, which provides some advantages on icy roads: the front of a vehicle has more weight, so the tyres with power to them are pressed more firmly onto the road and have more traction. This actually keeps the rear of the car more stable. If you live in an area with regular snow and have a vehicle with this layout, it is very important to have winter tyres.
• RWD — In this configuration, the power goes to the back wheels. Trucks, large SUVs and sports cars usually feature this design. It is not ideal for snow, as it can cause the vehicle to spin out or fishtail because it is lighter on the back end where the power is. Winter tyres are even more crucial for RWD vehicles than FWD ones in regions that see winter weather.
• AWD — Here, power is distributed to all wheels depending on the amount of traction each has (which is determined by sensors). Under normal conditions, most power goes to either the front or back of the vehicle, but not both. In slippery conditions, AWD systems distribute more power to the wheels with the most traction. This is very helpful when accelerating but does not enhance performance when turning and braking on slippery roads. It is, however, an improvement over FWD and RWD. An AWD and all-season tyre combination could work in areas where snow is not too frequent and for driving on roads that are constantly ploughed.
• 4WD — This layout sends power to all wheels equally. Vehicles with 4WD usually have a low range of gears and are manually engaged (meaning 4WD does not operate at all times). It is good for all kinds of conditions, including unploughed or rough roads. It is a good alternative for rural driving, especially if there are steep grades where low gearing is needed.

All-season tyres can suffice for some vehicle models in mild winter conditions. However, their rubber and tread is designed for a wide variety of conditions, so if you’re driving in the snow with an all-season tyre, you will sacrifice performance in some areas when compared to a Winter tyre.
Dedicated Winter tyres have optimised rubber compounds that preserve grip at very low temperatures, their tread is specifically designed to grip onto snow and they may even have studs. These features may not be present on all-season tyres, which also have to be able to handle hot temperatures and large amounts of water on roadways, requiring different compounds and tread patterns.

If you live in a place where winter brings rain rather than snow, the biggest risk to avoid will most likely be aquaplaning rather than slipping and sliding on slush. Regardless of the model, the best tyre for driving in the rain is one with deep tread.
One of tread’s main functions is to quickly push water out from underneath the tyre so the rubber surface stays in contact with the road. The deeper the grooves in the tread, the more effectively the tyre will perform this function.
Therefore, the best tyre for rain is one with good tread depth, which can be maintained by rotating tyres, switching between winter and summer tyres according to the season, and ideally replacing tyres before the tread falls below a depth of 3mm (UK law states all tyres must be replaced at 1.6mm).
Winter tyres have a tread pattern optimised for biting into snow, ice and slush in winter temperatures, not necessarily for just flushing water out from under tyres. For that reason, winter tyres are not the best solution for prolonged rainy conditions. All-season or summer tyres will provide better protection against aquaplaning throughout the year thanks to a tread compound that works in all seasons.

Beyond changing your driving style and equipping your car with the right tyres, there are a few more steps you can take to get your vehicle ready for winter.

To get the right winter tyres for your vehicle and region, contact your nearest tyre dealer.