Tips for Driving Ice/Slush/snow or snow dusting

Hey All,

Need advice driving tomorrow in ice/snowmegedon in Gainesville. Any tips or tricks for using or not using 4wd if there is snow or slush. I’m from S Florida, so it’s a new day.

thanks Mark

 

Lane changes can get right hairy so be careful with those.

 

- have good tires
- leave the 4wd on full time
- don't drive faster than you can brake
- watch out for idiots

Tires are the biggest make it or break it in snow driving. What tires do you have? How much tread is left?
As long as there is snow on the ground leave the 4wd on, I routinely drive on the freeway 70+mph in 4hi. The only way you can hurt the 4wd system is full lock turning on dry pavement.
Braking distance is going to be drastically further than on dry pavement so start braking very early.
Be extra vigilant around intersections, lane changes, and on curved roads. That's where idiots will end up sliding all over.

 

The key is to slow down. Up in our Sierras the number one cause of spin outs and accidents in snow/ice is speed. Going the speed limit may be too fast for conditions. I don’t know how much snow you got but if you’re in Florida I doubt it’s going to amount to much or much affect driving. Ice is the worst hazard and I doubt there’s much if any of that.
Take turns and lane changes slow and easy.

 

Put some weight in the back of your truck.

 

Use the 4x4, it makes a massive difference and its meant to be used.

 

Use 4x4 as long as the roads are snow covered
When it gets patchy, be cautious but it’s ok to stay in 4wd, be aware of stiff steering and drop out of 4wd as needed

 

What everybody said plus remember this. Just because the speed limit sign says a certain number that doesn't mean you need to maintain that certain number. Speed reasonable for conditions applies here. If you are slipping and sliding and you see vehicles off the road just please slow down.

 

Eastern WA. Here, I was taught to drive like you have no brakes. Because that might just how they respond. Counter steering is a life saver, if you are trying to swap ends. Be safe...

 

I'm from Georgia, so I have very little snow driving experience. I just stay home unless it's an emergency. Most everything closes when it snows in the south anyways.

 

If you have ice stay home until it thaws which should be shortly after sunup.

Some weight in the bed would help. You only need 4X4 to get up hills. Not many of those in Jacksonville. If you have a front wheel drive car you'll be a lot better off in it than you would in the Tacoma.

There is a HUGE difference in driving in the snow we get in the Southeast than in northern and mountain states. It's a LOT easier to drive in 8-10" of snow in Colorado when temps never get above freezing than in 1" of mixed snow, rain and ice in the south where you go through freeze/thaw cycles every few hours.

 

It’s not about the amount, but how it sticks. Any amount of ice is enough to make the most prepared truck spin out. Best advice is to simply stay home.

 

There will be snow on top of ice. Nobody has winter tires or winter driving experience. Even if your vehicle is 100% prepared and you have experience, some idiot on bald summer tires or mud tires will crash into you.

 

Drive slow and steady. Don't hammer the throttle, throw the wheel around, or slam the brakes. Give yourself extra following space - aim to be at least 4 seconds behind the car in front of you at all times. Make sure when you stop your tires are on bare asphalt if at all possible - as long as you're moving slow and steady and maintain speed, you'd be astonished how much control you'll maintain.

Assuming you must drive, of course. If you can, stay home unless the roads were actually prepared, because the snow is not your enemy - it's the ice that you are unlikely to see,and if you're not on winter tires or (for the light snow I'm guessing Gainesville is getting) 3-peak rated four-seasons with sufficient tread, you are not going to have traction at all on ice. And even if you have traction, a lot of other drivers aren't going to be ready for it. Drive safe.

 

I have All Terrains. Good Tread life. I’m definitely going to take my time to get to work. I thought you could not drive in 4HI on ice. Thanks for the tips.

 

Learn to properly countersteer when that back end gets groovy

 

I would suspect that there isn't ice at the bottom but slush, as their ground isn't likely anywhere near freezing.

I read elsewhere that P'cola has over 5" on the ground.

@2013TacoDCLB, as others have said: Slow is the key. Leave a lot of room, and be very gentle and precise with all throttle/brake/steering inputs.

 

That slush can definitely turn icy if the surface air temp gets below freezing ?

 

Tacoma has legendary drive train. Up here in Canada many leave it in 4x4 during the bad months. I'll go days in 4x4 with 20 minute drives to work. Snow, ice whatever.

I'll turn it off once I hit drive pavement or if parking is tight.

 

The air has to be below freezing to snow. The ground being warm tends to keep it from freezing. I would bet the ground temp in FL is close to 50*, it hasn't been cold that long.