Tires Salt Lake City: 34 Tips For Winter Driving In Snow And On Ice

Watch this safe winter driving video, and follow these 34 tips on driving in winter conditions-snowy, icy road conditions, as digested from our personal experiences driving in Utah, the National Safety Council, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Washington State Government Information & Services, Edmunds and various Auto clubs across the country:

5 Tips Before You Take On the Public Snowy Roads:
1. Put snow tires on your vehicle, and get a good grip of the roads. To have adequate snow traction, a tire requires at least 6/32-inch deep tread. High-performance "summer" tires have little or no grip in snow. Even "all-season" tires don't necessarily have great snow traction: Some do, some don't. Our advice for Utah drivers is to use snow tires. They have a "snowflake on the mountain" symbol on the sidewall, meaning they meet a tire-industry standard for snow traction.
Yeah we know, you think that it is just another service expense-two sets of tires, two sets of change outs every year. And, you are right. But, would you rather be “wrong” on the road? What will that “cost” you??
2. Practice in a snow covered lot. It's helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot, so you're familiar with how your car handles.
3. Before you go, listen to the radio for announcements about accidents, road closings, and road advisories. Call your local highway patrol if this information is not available on the radio.
4. Plan your route ahead of time to avoid any roads that become dangerous during bad weather. If a road is closed or blocked, do not attempt to continue on this route.
5. Let someone know your route so if you do become stranded, your family can let authorities know where to start looking.
15 Tips For Driving safely on icy roads

1. Safe driving distance from other vehicles. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Windshield wipers and lights should operate safely and properly..
5. Run the air-conditioner. In order to remove condensation and frost from the interior of windows, engage your air-conditioner and select the fresh air option: It's fine to set the temperature on "hot." Many cars automatically do this when you choose the defrost setting.
6. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
7. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads. 
8. Use gentle impulses while driving: accelerate gently, turn slowly, and brake carefully and early. Avoid unexpected quick movements that could put you in a spin by leaving ample room between you and the next car. Anticipate turns, stops, and lane changes well before they occur.
9. Conversely, don't go too slow. The car will need some momentum to be able to push through heavier snow without getting stuck.
10. Steer clear of trucks. They are heavier than cars and need considerably longer stopping distances. Their tires also tend to spray snow and rain into parallel lanes, further hindering your visibility.

11. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
12. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
13. Remember the tough spots. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
14. Watch carefully for "black ice." If the road looks slick, it probably is. This is especially true with one of winter's worst hazards: "black ice." Also called "glare ice," this is nearly transparent ice that often looks like a harmless puddle or is overlooked entirely. Test the traction with a smooth brake application or slight turn of the wheel.
15. Do not “over steer”. A slick section in a turn causes your front tires to lose grip, the common — but incorrect — reaction is to continue turning the steering wheel. If your steering wheel does not turn the car, rotate the wheel back the opposite direction, and allow for correction when the tires pass through the icy patch

5 Tips: If your rear wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

2 Tips: If your front wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

6 Tips: If you get stuck...

1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.

#34: The best tip for winter driving: Sometimes it's best to stay home, or at least remain where you are until snow plows have done their work. If you crash on a snowy or icy road, you'll certainly be late — or worse. But since you can't always call in to work claiming a "snow day," it's better to learn how to correctly deal with driving in the snow.

Regardless of your driving skill or vehicle preparation, there are some winter conditions that can't be conquered. But these tips may help prevent snowy and icy roads from ruining your day.

Let us perform a free check of your tires and a Free Brake System Inspection. We offer FREE alignments with any set of 4 new tires purchased at our stores.  At Hillside Tire and Service, we are your tire brand experts for all makes and models, as well as complete auto repair in Salt Lake City. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and get to know us, like Bill Gephardt does,  through our auto repair service specials (see coupons).

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