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With some parts of the world suffering from heavy snow fall in recent months, drivers should be aware of the extra precautions they need to take when out on the roads in these conditions. If temperatures fall below freezing it can turn road surface water into ice, making driving conditions hazardous. Heavy snowfall can also block roads or cause problems when the snow begins to melt, leaving excess standing water. If you need to drive in these conditions you should be aware that stopping distances are around ten times longer when driving through snow and ice compared to normal conditions. Make sure you keep your distance from vehicles on the road in front of you and drive at a slower speed in order to maintain more control. If you can drive at a constant speed this will help improve the stability of the car. Speeding up and slowing down on icy and snowy roads is more treacherous in these conditions.

If you need to drive up hill on your journey then it is a good idea to choose the right gear prior to your ascent. This means that you won’t have to change down a gear when you are already on the hill, which could cause you to lose some control. If you need to come down a hill it is recommended to use third or fourth gear, as it helps prevent skidding on icy roads. When stopping it is important to apply the brakes gently as sudden braking could lead to skidding. If you do find the car goes into a skid when you apply the brakes, then release them and de-clutch the car. When the car comes out of the skid and straightens up again you can re-apply the brakes. If your car is an automatic, then it is a good idea to select drive mode 2 when in Snowy or icy conditions. Drive mode 2 limits the number of gear changes that is made and means you do not need to rely on the brakes as much. Some automatic cars may even offer a winter mode, which is designed to make driving in these conditions safer. Winter modes typically avoid using first gear to avoid the risk of wheel spin.

For those driving in isolated areas, you may find that you need snow chains especially if the roads have not been cleared and gritted. Snow chains are good for increasing stability when driving on snow, but they must be removed when before driving on metalled roads that are not snow covered. It is worth buying snow chains from a specialist who can show you the correct way to fit them and remove them easily. If you are worried about your tyres you can change them to a special winter variety which have a high silicon content that prevents the tyre from hardening at lower temperatures and thus giving a better grip. In these type of conditions accidents can happen so before you go out on the roads you may wish to speak to your motor insurance provider to ensure your level of cover is adequate. However if you follow the advice above you should be able to reduce your likelihood of being in an accident and manage to travel safely on snowy and icy roads.

Rochelle Martinez, Freelance Web Content Article Writer for three years. Some of her articles are about http://www.quinn-direct.com.
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