How to Drive a Sport Utility Vehicle in the Winter

Despite the fact that sport utility vehicles perform well in wintry driving conditions, SUV owners should still examine these fundamental rules for safe driving on slick surfaces.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car Manuals
• Auto Emergency Kits
• Tire Chains

1. Check your owner's manual carefully for recommendations about winter driving. SUVs call for different handling skills than other vehicles.

2. Slow down and increase the distance between other cars while driving on snow or ice-covered surfaces. Although your higher ground clearance helps you get going quicker in heavy snow, it won't help you stop quicker.

3. Apply firm and constant pressure on the brake pedal if you have antilock brakes. Pump the brakes to prevent wheel lock up if you don't have antilock brakes.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice braking and steering in an open, snow-covered space before you try to operate your SUV on a slippery surface for the first time.
• Although SUVs can safely go a lot of places other cars can't go, the higher ground clearance makes some of them more prone to rollover during sharp turns.

on 3/29/2006 Stuck with summer tires? No 4WD? Try this if you don't have any of these. First, shifting your car into neutral and then rev the engine for 13 seconds; this will prep the engine diff and transmission for wheel slippage once the tachometer hits 5,000 RPM. Then you wait for the engine to resume to it's idle stage until the tachometer reaches zero. Then you are ready to shift out of neutral. Go into drive and then move slowly until you hit a stop. This is when you hold the brakes slightly and use the gas at the same time. This is for when you start off from a stop, when you turn, and when you are going up hills. This acts as a low range gearing. Even though your transmission has low gear that is not for these driving conditions. When you are stopping, shift into neutral and then press the brakes. You shouldn't pump rapidly or hold either, you should always wait until you hit 10 MPH and then you squeeze the brakes as tight as they will go. This will stop the car without skidding.

on 11/22/2005 Anti-lock brakes and pumping your brakes can only do so much. If you are on an icy surface going downhill and approaching a car or a turn (especially one that comes up as a surprise), you will probably end up locking your front tires. When the brakes become useless, let your foot off the brakes! You will not be able to steer otherwise and may end up rear ending someone or missing your turn. Instead, gently steer around a car or try taking a wider turn when you have to turn.

on 11/22/2005 Although wider tires might help an SUV maneuver off-road, in wet, snowy, or icy conditions they have a tendency to slide, especially going around turns. To avoid this, drive slower than usual, and brake before and during a turn.