How to Drive in Snow and Ice: UK Winter Driving Guide

Summary

• Slow down: Stopping distances can be 10 times longer on ice. Drive at a speed where you can stop safely.
• Gentle inputs: Steer, brake, and accelerate gently. Sudden movements cause skids.
• Prepare your car: Check your tyres, antifreeze, and battery before winter hits. Our winter preparation guide covers everything.

Driving in snow and ice is very different from normal driving. Your tyres have less grip. Your brakes take longer to work. And even small mistakes can cause you to lose control.

Every winter, thousands of accidents happen on UK roads because of icy conditions. Many could be avoided with the right knowledge.

This guide teaches you how to drive safely when the weather turns bad.

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Should You Even Drive?

Before you set off, ask yourself: is this journey essential?

If the roads are very icy or snow is heavy, the safest option is to stay home. No journey is worth risking your life.

If you must drive:

• Check road conditions online or on local radio.
• Tell someone where you're going and when you expect to arrive.
• Take a fully charged phone.
• Allow extra time. A journey that takes 30 minutes in summer could take an hour or more.

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Preparing Your Car for Snow

Before you drive in winter conditions, check these things:

• Tyres: Check the tread is well above 1.6mm. In winter, experts say 3mm is the minimum for safe grip.
• Antifreeze: Make sure your coolant has enough antifreeze mixed in. A frozen engine is an expensive problem.
• Battery: Cold weather is hard on car batteries. If yours is old, get it tested. Read our car battery care guide.
• Lights: Clean them. Dirty lights reduce visibility, which is already poor in winter.
• Washer fluid: Use winter screenwash that won't freeze. Normal water will ice up.
• Wiper blades: Check they're not worn or torn. You'll use them a lot.

Winter kit to keep in your car

Item	Why You Need It
Ice scraper and de-icer	Clear your windscreen before driving
Warm clothes and blanket	If you get stuck or break down
Torch with spare batteries	Visibility if you break down at night
Shovel	Dig out if stuck in snow
Phone charger	Keep your phone alive for emergencies
Food and water	You might be stuck for hours
High-visibility vest	Be seen if you need to get out

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Driving Techniques for Snow and Ice

The key rule is simple: everything must be gentle. No sudden braking. No sharp steering. No quick acceleration.

Starting off

• Pull away in second gear. This gives you more control and less wheel spin.
• Press the accelerator very gently.
• On an automatic, use the "winter mode" if your car has one. Or select 2nd gear manually.

Braking

• Brake early and gently. Start slowing down much sooner than normal.
• If you have ABS (most modern cars do), press firmly and let the system work. Don't pump the brakes.
• Leave at least 10 times the normal stopping distance.

Steering

• Steer smoothly. No sudden turns.
• If you're going around a bend, slow down before the bend. Don't brake in the bend itself.

Going uphill

• Keep a steady speed. Don't stop halfway up - you might not get going again.
• Leave plenty of room to the car in front in case they stop or slide back.

Going downhill

• Use a low gear to control your speed.
• Avoid braking if possible. Let the engine slow you down.
• If you must brake, do it very gently.

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What to Do If You Skid

Skids happen when your tyres lose grip. Here's what to do:

1. Don't panic. Stay calm.
2. Take your foot off the accelerator. Don't brake suddenly.
3. Steer into the skid. If the back of your car slides to the right, steer gently to the right.
4. Look where you want to go. Your hands will follow your eyes.
5. Once you regain grip, straighten up gently.

Remember: Modern cars with ABS and stability control can help, but they can't work miracles on ice. Traction control helps, but safe driving is still your responsibility.

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Black Ice: The Hidden Danger

Black ice is a thin layer of ice on the road. You can't see it because it's transparent. The road just looks wet.

Watch out for black ice:

• On bridges and overpasses (they freeze first).
• In shaded areas that don't get sunlight.
• On quiet rural roads that don't get gritted.
• Early morning and late evening when temperatures drop.

If you hit black ice, don't steer or brake. Keep the wheel straight and let the car coast across it.

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When Not to Drive

Stay home if:

• The Met Office has issued a red or amber weather warning.
• Your local council says roads are impassable.
• You can't clear your windscreen properly.
• You feel nervous or unsure. Trust your instincts.
• Your car doesn't have suitable tyres for the conditions.

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Winter driving takes extra care and patience. Slow down, be gentle with the controls, and leave plenty of space. If the conditions look bad, the safest choice is not to drive at all.

Make sure your car is ready for cold weather. Read our complete winter car preparation guide to get everything sorted before the first frost.

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