How to be safe driving in snow: the advice you need from Parkers' experts

Written by Graham King Published: 4 March 2025

We don’t get snow very often in the UK so, on the odd day we do, roads in the affected areas usually grind to a halt. That’s because too many drivers don’t know how to drive in snow, which is entirely understandable as we don’t have many opportunities to gain experience of it. But driving in snow doesn’t have to be difficult – you just have to adapt your technique.

It’s not as difficult or scary as it might seem. A lot of it boils down to taking your time and knowing a bit how to get the best out of your car. But there are a lot of individual things you can do that will make driving in snow a lot easier and – most importantly – keep you moving.

And that’s what we’re going to cover here, the key things you need to do and be aware of when driving in snow. We present them in no particular order but, by the end, you’ll hopefully feel armed with the knowledge you need to drive confidently the next time snow falls.

Slow down and keep your distance

Everything takes longer when you’re driving in snow. Your car’s steering is less responsive, braking distances in particular increase dramatically. Driving at a slower speed and keeping your distance from the vehicle in front gives your car more time and space to respond to your inputs and gives you more time and space to react to any hazardous situations that develop.

Start in second gear

All the problems of driving on snow are caused by how slippery it is. When you pull away from stationary, there’s so little grip that your car’s driven wheels tend to spin up immediately, making it very difficult to actually get going. Setting off in second gear reduces wheel spin so it’s easier to pull away. If you have an automatic, its gearbox may have a snow mode or allow you to take manual control to set off in a higher gear.

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Once you’re moving, change up through the gears as soon as you can. That, again, reduces the likelihood of the wheels spinning up. It also helps to press down on the throttle pedal as gently and smoothly as you can.

Use your car’s drive modes

Many cars have a selection of drive modes that you can switch between while driving. They typically include ‘normal’, ‘sport’ and ‘eco’ – or something analogous; some cars also have a ‘snow’ or ‘slippery surface’ mode, particularly SUVs.

Selecting the latter changes the car’s settings to optimise it for driving on low-grip roads. The most noticeable change is that the throttle becomes less responsive to reduce wheelspin. The brake pedal may also feel different as the car’s braking force is redistributed to suit the conditions.

Negotiate hills carefully

The lack of grip and traction can make snowy hills absolutely treacherous to drive on – whether you’re going up or down. The key in either case is to give yourself plenty of room to the vehicle in front so you’ve got time to react to any situations that develop and to work the problem.

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Going uphill, the key is to keep moving. If you stop, getting going again could be really difficult, or even impossible. There’s also the risk that your car will start sliding back down the hill – potentially with disastrous consequences. Keep an eye on the vehicles ahead, as well, in case they start sliding out of control.

The most important thing when going downhill is to stay in control of your car so that it doesn’t get out of control. Slow down as much as you need to before you crest the hill, then use a low gear to maintain that speed. Steer gently, and avoid using the brakes – if you must, press the pedal as gently as possible. If the car does start to slide, do what you can to keep it pointing straight down the hill. You should also avoid stopping at the bottom of hill, in case following vehicles can’t stop.

If you live in a particularly hilly area that’s prone to snow, fitting your car with a set of snow chains can make driving easier and safer.

Approach bends with caution

The lack of grip on snow can make cornering really tricky. Slow down as much as you need to before the corner – ideally by easing off the throttle or braking very gently – and turn in gently. Remember the steering will probably feel less responsive than normal. Let the car roll through the corner and gently accelerate away once you’re past it.

Know how to recover from a skid

Snow could cause your car to lose grip and skid when going round a corner or downhill. There are three types of skid you might experience – understeer, oversteer and straight. A straight skid is most likely to happen when the car’s wheels lock under braking. Ease off the pedal until you feel the wheels start turning again, then gently reapply the brakes.

Understeer happens when you turn the steering, but car doesn’t go where you’re pointing it. It can happen under braking or when accelerating. In either case, ease off the pedal until the front wheels find grip and the car starts going where you want it to. Don’t be tempted to simply steer more as, when the tyres grip, you may find yourself heading towards the wrong side of the road.

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Oversteer happens the rear end of the car starts to slide sideways. Again, it can happen under acceleration or braking and you need to ease off the pedal until grip returns. You also need to simultaneously gently turn the steering into the skid. In practice, that means looking where you want to go and turning the wheel in that direction – your hands should naturally follow your eyes.

Whatever sort of skid you experience, it’s important to stay calm. If you’re driving at a sensible speed and paying attention, you should be able to feel when your car starts to skid. The slower you’re going, the more time you have to react and deal with the situation.

Try to drive on fresh snow

Compacted, icy snow is incredibly slippery. Fresh, untouched snow – especially powdery snow – can provide comparatively high levels of grip, so drive on it if you can. Don’t think you can just drive as normal on fresh snow, though. It’s still potentially hazardous, so you should follow the guidelines given here. 

Avoid sudden movements

Snow has the contradictory effects of making your car less responsive to the throttle, brakes and steering but, when it does respond, the response is exaggerated. Making quick, sudden inputs while driving in snow is more likely to than not to cause a hazardous situation to develop. So it’s better to take your time and drive as smoothly as possible.

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Don’t rely on your car’s tech

Modern cars are filled with safety tech designed to make having a crash less likely. Things like stability control, traction control and anti-lock brakes (ABS). While they’re very useful to have, they can’t defy the laws of physics and can really struggle to deal with snow and ice.

ABS in particular can become rather overactive, giving a lot of ‘kickback’ through the brake pedal. Go slowly, make smooth inputs to the throttle, brakes and steering, and pay attention to what the car is doing. Do so, and the car’s tech may not even be triggered.

Don’t tailgate

Closely following the vehicle in front is a recipe for disaster in general, never mind when driving on snow. That’s because stopping distances can be as much as 10 times longer, so you need as much space as possible to slow down. You’ll also be less able to see changes in the road surface that may present a serious hazard.

Have your car fitted with winter tyres

Winter tyres are designed to keep providing grip at lower temperatures than conventional summer and all-season tyres. They also have chunkier tread that really bites down into snow and ice. However, they don’t allow you drive as if the snow wasn’t there – you still need to follow the guidelines given here.

Four-wheel-drive doesn’t solve the problem

Four-wheel-drive is advantageous when driving in snow because it spreads the engine’s power across more wheels, thus improving traction. However, it’ll be less effective if your car isn’t fitted with winter tyres – and it can’t defeat the laws of physics. If you drive in a manner that makes a hazardous situation more likely, four-wheel-drive won’t stop one developing.

Decide if your journey is essential

The government and motoring organisations such as the RAC and AA always advise against anything but absolutely essential travel by road in snow. And we support that advice – it’s the safest option by far. Plus, with fewer drivers on the road, those who really do need to be out there will have an easier, safer time of it.

Plan any journeys carefully

If you really do need to go out and drive in snow, plan your journey very carefully. If it’s a local trip, you’ll probably know which roads have the most traffic and are therefore likely to be properly gritted or cleared of snow. If you’re not familiar with the area, stick to main roads as far as possible. And, in either case, try to avoid hills.

Clear snow and ice from your car

It’s an offence to drive a car with a windscreen and front side windows that aren’t completely clear of snow and ice. That’s because your visibility is severely reduced, so you can’t drive as safely. And, as we’ve discussed, you need to drive as safely as possible in snow. Here’s are full guide on how to clear your car’s windscreen in winter.

You should also clear snow from the roof of your car. It can slide off over your windscreen or onto the road, causing a hazard. Driving with snow on the roof isn’t an offence in itself, but you are committing one if the snow comes off dangerously.

Prevention is better than cure and, if you can’t park your car undercover overnight, a windscreen cover is the most efficient means of preventing your car’s windscreen icing over or getting covered in snow.

Check your car’s tyres thoroughly

It’s not always practical to have your car fitted with winter tyres – we’re not legally required to in the UK – but you should at least make sure the existing tyres are in good condition and have plenty of tread. The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm, most experts recommend having tyres replaced at 3mm. You need as much tread as possible to drive in snow safely – read how to check it here.

Reduce the tyre pressures

This may not sound like a good idea, but it can help. Reducing the pressure increasing the area of the tyre in contact with the ground – known as the contact patch. The bigger the contact patch, the more grip the tyre can generate. However, we recommend making only a small reduction in tyre pressure, and don’t drive too fast as flatter tyres wear out more quickly. Don’t forget to pump them back up again – a portable tyre inflator is ideal for the job.

Check your car’s lights, wipers and screen wash

You should always make sure your car’s lights are in full, working order when winter sets in anyway, but it’s particularly important for driving in snow. Even if it’s a beautifully sunny day, the sun’s glare can make your car difficult to see without any lights on. Always clear snow from the lights before setting off, as well.

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Similarly, make sure the wipers are clearing the windscreen effectively and that there’s plenty of screen wash. Don’t use the wipers to clear snow off the windscreen – doing so can damage the arms and the mechanism. And use screen wash with antifreeze so you can keep using it in cold temperatures.

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