A few winter driving tips for Volvo owners
February 25 2021,
Winter is moving away slowly, but it isn’t gone yet. The next few weeks will see temperatures slowly creeping up towards 0 degrees during the day but dropping back down and freezing during the night. That means that in the mornings or the evenings, drivers could face icy roads and black ice.
Here are a few winter driving tips should you hit a patch of unexpected ice, and how to handle the final weeks of winter.
Slow down
The absolute best tip we can give you here is to slow down. That way, should you encounter a frozen patch or black ice, you will quickly be able to regain control using your Volvo’s all-wheel drive system as well as its advanced electronic stability control and traction control systems. This will also prevent either understeer or oversteer.
Keep a safe distance
You want to keep as much of a distance as possible with the vehicle ahead of you in winter. Especially when black ice is present. By keeping a safe distance, you give yourself enough room to slow down if needed.
What happens if you lose control?
If you feel yourself sliding forward on ice and cannot stop, the key is to keep your foot pressed firmly on the brakes. There is no need to “pump” the brakes. Moreover, remember that you have the ability steer your vehicle even if it is sliding forward. Try to steer away from other vehicles or towards snow or dirt on the side of the road which can cause friction and help you slow down.
If you should understeer in a turn, it means that your front wheels have lost traction. That means that you have to help them regain traction, which can be accomplished by easing off the throttle and correcting the steering wheel. If the back of your vehicle loses grip, this is oversteer, then slowing down will continue the rotation of the vehicle. The best way to prevent oversteer and understeer is to slow down before a turn, but if you should experience oversteer, try and apply a slight pressure to the throttle with the steering wheel turned opposite to the direction your vehicle is headed which should straighten it out.
Again, the best way to avoid these situations is to slow down and keep a safe distance, and be mindful when driving in freezing weather or early in the morning or late at night.
