December is one of our favorite times of the year, celebrating the holidays with friends and family. This time of the year is beautiful but it presents some driving challenges. November is “deer season” which results in an increased number of accidents due to the rut in early November in Pennsylvania. Deer are one of the most deadly animals not only in Lancaster PA, but also in the country, stemming from their run-ins with vehicles.
The new threat that we have here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is snow coming down. The temperatures are getting colder outside and snow will hopefully be here soon. It’s beautiful. It’s a lot of fun to have, but driving in it for many people is not the most fun. So we’re going to give you some tips today on how to drive in the snow.
1: Smooth driving
The first thing is that you want to drive your car as smoothly as you can. When saying “smooth” we are referring to the way you turn the steering wheel and accelerate and brake. When you turn quickly or accelerate aggressively you are more likely to break traction and lose control of your vehicle. So the number one thing you want to make sure you do is to drive super smoothly so that way your car can hold traction for as long as possible.
2: Look far ahead of you
The second thing is to look ahead, make sure there are no snow plows coming, make sure people aren’t braking early or turning in front of you, or that there’s any steep hills or tight turns ahead. You want to make sure that you’re looking far ahead so that you can prepare for such. So if there’s a turn coming up, you don’t want to drive up to it like you typically do, hit your brakes and turn into it. You want to let off the gas, maybe hit your brakes a little bit, pump them to slow down and then ease your way into it. When driving in Lititz PA there are a lot of stop signs and some steep hills. You will want to make sure that you are aware of the twists and turns coming down the road.
3: Drive through the skids
The third is to deal with the skids and slides you will encounter. If you’re driving in snow in Lancaster, your car most likely at some point is going to break traction and skid a little bit. So how do you drive through that? If you’ve seen Cars and Lightning McQueen, he is told, you turn right to go left, and that’s actually the right advice. So if your car starts sliding to the left, if you turn more left, you’re going to spin out. If you turn to the right and counter-steer that skid, it’s going to help you slide that way and straighten out. So if you want to go left and your car starts skidding, just turn the wheel slightly to the right and it’ll help even out your skid and will keep you back on the path that you want to go. Skids are probably going to happen, so knowing how to deal with them is a good thing to know. In Lancaster, PA PennDOT does a pretty good job keeping the main roads clear but the back roads tend to be the most precarious.
A way to practice, that my dad taught me, is when we do have snow, take one of your vehicles to a wide-open parking lot and learn how the car drives. Practice making turns, and how to steer through slides. It is a very different skill so if you spin out a few times that is a great way to learn!
3: Utilize Anti-Lock Brakes
The fifth tip we have is to use your analog brakes if you have them equipped on your car. Most vehicles sold today in Lancaster PA will come equipped with them. So when you slam on your brakes in snow, it’s going to feel weird because they won’t just stop. You’ll feel the car and the brake pedal jerking a little bit, and that’s the sign that your anti-lock brakes are kicking in. The ABS computer maximizes the stopping power by making sure that the tires don’t lock up, but continue to spin.
Without ABS, when you slam on your brakes your tires wheel lock up and you will slide straight with no ability to turn. Per tip #1 you want to be smooth on the brakes but if you do need to stop quickly in the snow, use your anti-lock brakes and slam on the brakes.
4: Know the difference AWD, 4WD, 2WD
Each vehicle is equipped with a different type of drivetrain layout. You can get a vehicle with All wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and two-wheel drive. Each one of these will act differently in the snow. Since we live in Lancaster Pennsylvania there will be many options for AWD and 4WD vehicles. The best vehicle in the snow is the four-wheel drive. It means that each of your four wheels is getting power from the engine, making it difficult to get stuck or slide uncontrollably. All-wheel drive is the second best where all four wheels can gain tracing independently of each other. While the four-wheel drive is stronger and can be engaged or disengaged, all-wheel drive is always on. Lastly, we have two-wheel drive. There are 2 options of 2WD, either front or rear. Front-wheel drive is better than rear-wheel drive in the snow since the front wheels have the weight of the engine to help with weight for traction and they are the steering wheels. Rear-wheel drive cars are the worst in the snow and are the ones you will see at the stop light spinning their tires unable to move, or fishtailing down the road.
5: Plan ahead!
Last but not least, is to plan ahead. If you live in a place that gets a ton of snow like Northern Pennsylvania, you may want to consider specific snow tires, or maybe even carrying tire chains with you. Other smart ideas are to store some flashlights, battery packs, and blankets in your vehicle when driving around Lancaster in the winter. This way if you do get stuck or are in a precarious situation you will be able to stay warm and see until help arrives. Another good idea is to watch the news and analyze the current road conditions.
The key is to know the conditions, know your driving abilities, and your vehicle’s performance in the snow. As always if you are looking for car insurance in Lancaster, PA; we are here to help. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and safe driving.