It’s tough to feel one thousand percent confident driving in the snow sometimes, no matter how much you think you have prepared yourself for it. With tons of ice frozen over the roads, and a blanket of snow covering your windshield, not to mention the side winds and other crazy drivers out there, it’s pretty tricky navigating yourself up towards the mountains. Don’t be caught off guard this winter, take a look at some of these tips, and feel free to share yours with us.

I watched a program on Bridgestone Winter Driving School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado recently, and picked up a few tips that I want to share.

Anticipate turns and stops. In the snow or ice, it’s extremely slick, (as some of us have learned the hard way) so you need more than the normal stopping distance compared to when stopping on a dry road. Proceed to the stop street/traffic light/stopped vehicle with the car in control, and always make sure to leave plenty of room for cars in front of and around you, when possible. Try to avoid rapid movements, which can lead to loss of control, or in simplest terms – WIPING OUT! Don’t ever drive too fast in icy conditions, unless you have chains on, which will stop you from going fast anyway. When you are going fast you will not be prepared to stop suddenly, which is how most accidents in snowy conditions occurs. It is considered a crime to slam on breaks in ice, as you’ll simply skid and lose control. To avoid having to slam on breaks, decrease your overall speed.

Don’t over steer. I am referring to the tendency we have to assume that our cars will behave the same way they do in snowy, icy conditions as they do on dry roads. Obvious fact – they don’t! Make sure to approach turns slowly and don’t whip the wheel around. Over steering is likely to send the car into a skid, to which we usually overcorrect (spin the wheel in the other direction of the original turn) and make the car fishtail wildly. Ehh…not fun.

Look where you WANT to go. In the car, try to focus on picking the path where you initially want it to go. Instinctually, your hands will turn the steering wheel to keep it on that path. Do not be distracted by obstacles, because then you’ll find yourself subconsciously steering into them.

If you are interested in taking a driving class, look into the Bridgestone Winter Driving School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado if it’s close to you. If not just do a google search for something similar in your area. They offer a range of classes, all the way from a half-day of basic winter driving safety fundamentals, through to a high-intensity 2-day course where you can learn all of the advanced tricks for winter driving as used by world-class rally drivers. In this class, you’ll even learn “the ‘Scandinavian Flick’ as well as other rally-based cornering, acceleration, and braking techniques. Whoa, now that sounds pretty intense! On the show, they put a reporter behind the wheel to actually try to take the class in Colorado and practice his skills on the ice and snow-covered track that Bridgestone maintains for lessons. It’s a good skill to have, and something that could potentially save lives.

Be safe, and share your driving stories or tips with us!