Driving 4x4 vehicles on snow and ice

4x4 (four by four) vehicles, also known as four wheel drive (4WD) and all wheel drive (AWD) fitted with winter tyres will give the driver better grip on the road.  The extra traction of all four wheels driving the car will help with moving off and steering, as well as reducing the risk of getting stuck in the snow.

There has been an estimated 200% increase for people searching the web for 4x4 vehicles over the past week.  With sub-zero temperatures bringing about an early winter weather this year, motorists are now looking to invest in this type of vehicle to get them through the predicted treacherous winter.

The laws of physics, as always, apply to all cars, irrespective of the type of vehicle being driven.  Stopping distances can still be as much as ten times the normal when driving on snow and ice.  On slippery surfaces, all drivers must drive much more slowly and be able stop well within the distance seen to be clear.  To reduce speed and avoid sliding, you will need to change down sequentially through the gears to slow, rather than using the brakes.  This is the opposite of how you need to drive on a good road surface.

The handling of any vehicle fitted with winter tyres will be better than one with summer tyres.  Winter tyres use a tread rubber compound and block pattern specifically designed to retain flexibility in low temperatures and give good braking/traction performance on snow/ice covered roads. The sidewall of a winter tyre will be marked with a symbol showing a snowflake or snow-topped mountains.  Changes in tyre technology actually mean that winter tyres take longer to stop in dry conditions; the distance is not as long as the one that summer tyres take to stop in freezing conditions.   

Where you do have an advantage in a 4x4 is very deep snow. The height is very handy, though the weight may increase the stopping distance.  A relatively heavy, overpowered 4x4 could actually be a liability in the type of conditions they are likely to experience ie black ice. The driver needs also to ensure that the correct driving mode for the slippery surface conditions has been correctly selected.

Drivers of any vehicle fitted with an Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) will find this an immense help, even so, this still relies on the driver adopting the driving style to suit the conditions.