Winter Driving Tips and How to Drive in Snow Safely
Heading out for a drive in wintry conditions? Our top winter driving tips will help you tackle icy roads, snowy weather, and freezing temperatures safely and confidently.
The Cazoo editorial team
Published on 17 April 2025 | 2 mins read
Winter driving can be a completely different experience compared to other times of the year, with challenges like wet, icy, and slushy roads, dense fog, dark evenings, and perhaps even snow-covered streets. To stay safe and prepared, it's essential to ensure your car is winter-ready.
From maintaining your vehicle to adjusting your driving habits, our winter driving tips will cover everything you need to know. You'll learn how to adapt your driving style for tricky road conditions, make the most of your car's safety features, and keep control on icy or slippery surfaces.
Take your time and stay calm
The prospect of driving in winter can be less appealing than going for a spin on a summer's day, but there are many things you can do to feel more confident, and perhaps the most important is to take your time and stay calm. A steady approach makes it less likely for an emergency to develop, and you'll have more time to react if one does. Staying calm means you'll be better able to deal with an emergency.
Use a higher gear to set off
In first gear, a car's wheels can spin easily when setting off on a slippery road. Using second gear to set off reduces or even eliminates wheelspin. That's easily done in a car with a manual gearbox; most automatic cars can be 'locked' in second gear using the gear stick or the gear change paddles on the steering wheel.
Change the car's driving mode
Many modern cars have various driving modes you can select while on the move. Some, particularly SUVS, have a dedicated 'slippery surface' or 'snow and ice' mode that alters the car's performance to work better in those conditions. If your vehicle doesn't have that, use 'eco' mode. It reduces the engine's power, making wheelspin less likely.
Read the road
You can learn a lot about how you should be driving from the road surface, and that's especially true in winter. If it's sunny, any areas of the road in shade could be icy. Shiny patches could be icy as well. Leaves and compacted snow will be slippery. If you're driving along a route covered in compacted and fresh snow, the fresh snow will give your tyres more grip.
Using your car's ABS
Every modern car and many older ones have an anti-lock braking system, or ABS, which prevents the wheels from locking (and the car skidding) when you press the brake pedal hard. It does this by applying and releasing the brakes on each wheel many times a second, which allows the car to grip the road better and for you to continue to steer the vehicle. The ABS system is triggered automatically, and when that happens, you can feel a vibration through the brake pedal, along with a grating or grinding noise. That's perfectly normal, so don't be tempted to take your foot off the brakes because you think there's something wrong.
Use your car's driver safety features
Every modern car and many older ones are fitted with assorted driver-safety features. These include traction and stability control, which can help prevent the vehicle from becoming uncontrollable if the wheels spin or the car goes into a skid. They work by applying the brakes to individual wheels and reducing the engine's power. As you drive along an icy, snowy road, you might feel these features working away, tugging the car back into line. All driver safety features play a vital role in your safety, keeping your vehicle going in the right direction. But they're not infallible if you drive too fast, or in a way inappropriate for the conditions.
How to control a skid
There are two types of skids that you might experience while driving in winter: understeer and oversteer. Understeer happens when the car's front wheels lose grip as you turn into a corner. The car feels like it's going straight on, or at least not turning as much as you want. If this happens, ease your foot off the throttle pedal until you feel the front wheels grip.
Oversteer happens when the car's back wheels lose grip. You'll feel the back end of the car start to move sideways, and to counteract this, you need to gently ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and look to where you want the car to go, making sure that your hands turn the steering wheel in that direction. You'll be pointing the steering in the opposite direction to where the back wheels are going (known as opposite lock or counter-steering). When you feel the back wheels grip again, gradually turn the steering back towards the right direction.
Understeer and oversteer can happen at any speed. The slower you go, the more time you have to deal with it. It's crucial that you use the pedals and steering as smoothly as possible. Jumping off the accelerator, hitting the brakes hard or jerking the steering are all things that could unsettle the car and make the skid even worse.
Driving in Snow
Snowy roads can present a serious challenge, requiring extra care and attention while driving. Slippery conditions reduce traction, making it harder to control your vehicle.
If you’re driving in snow, start slowly and gently, avoiding sudden acceleration or braking. Sharp movements can cause your wheels to lose grip, so aim for smooth and steady control. Use higher gears where possible, as they reduce the risk of wheel spin on icy surfaces.
Keep a greater distance from other vehicles, as stopping distances are much longer in snow. Aim for at least a five-second gap to give yourself time to react. Plan your route carefully to avoid steep hills or less-travelled roads that might be harder to clear.
If your car begins to slide, take your foot off the accelerator and steer gently toward the skid until the wheels regain grip. Trying to overcorrect could make the slide worse.
Lastly, don’t forget to pack essential winter tools like a snow scraper, de-icer, and warm clothing. Being prepared can make all the difference when driving in snow.
