Can You Practice Driving in the Snow?
4 Answers
You can practice driving in the snow, but you need to go slow and pay attention to safety. Precautions for Starting: When igniting and starting, avoid spinning the wheels. Remove the snow around the vehicle and tires beforehand. Precautions While Driving: During normal driving, react and brake earlier in snowy conditions. The friction coefficient on icy roads is only 0.1 to 0.2, which significantly increases the braking distance. Only by reacting earlier can you effectively avoid accidents. Precautions for Braking: Whether or not you have ABS, do not shift to neutral. Instead, use the engine's traction to slow down and apply manual intermittent braking.
Practicing driving in snowy conditions really depends on the situation. When I was teaching my relative to drive last time, it happened to snow, and honestly, the risks were quite high—beginners simply can't handle slippery roads. Snow covering the lane markers makes it easy to cross the line, and braking distances can extend two to three times longer. If you rear-end someone, you'll be fully at fault. If you really must practice, you need to prepare in three ways: switch to snow tires or at least have a set of snow chains ready, keep your speed below 30 km/h, and find a closed parking lot to take it slow. Washing your car promptly after practice is crucial because de-icing agents are the most damaging to the undercarriage. Personally, I'd recommend avoiding extreme weather for the first few driving lessons—wait until you're familiar with basic operations before challenging icy roads for a safer experience.
Practicing driving in snowy conditions is theoretically possible but requires proper methods. I often take beginners to practice in special road conditions during winter, and found that the core of snow driving is developing a feel for the road. When tires roll over snow, the steering becomes heavier, and braking requires gentle early taps – these skills can't be acquired in clear weather. Location selection is crucial; internal neighborhood roads are safer than main roads, and early mornings with fewer cars are ideal. Don't set the heater too high to avoid drowsiness, and replacing wipers in advance ensures good visibility. Before each practice session, check brake pad thickness and tire pressure – top up if it's below 2.0 bar. Take breaks every half hour, and use the external air circulation when windows fog up for quickest results.
After eight years of running a driving school, I've observed that practicing in snow actually cultivates better drivers. The reduced friction on snowy roads, akin to an ice rink, forces you to master anticipatory driving. You must gently press the accelerator when starting to avoid wheel spin, and turning too early or too sharply can be dangerous. I recommend using empty plastic bottles as makeshift cones to practice S-turns, aiming to navigate them smoothly without braking. Remember to turn on front and rear fog lights for better visibility, and don't forget the rear window defroster. However, never risk driving on black ice—it's virtually invisible. Nowadays, driving schools have simulators for icy conditions, which are more efficient than practicing in actual snow.
