Winter wonderland ...

Snow and ice hold many dangers for drivers. The most obvious is the lack of grip between the tyres and the road surface. 

The grip of the tyres can be broken by any sudden movement, this is why driving on very slippery surfaces requires careful and delicate use of the car's steering, brakes, accelerator and clutch.

To reduce the risk of wheelspin and consequent sideways skids, use the highest gear that it is practically possible. 

Move off in second gear, change to fourth or fifth gear early. It's OK if your car grumbles a little bit - in fact, the nearer to stalling it is, the more grip you have.

When you first drive in snow, try and find an empty car park, or similar location, and 'play' for a while by driving in circles, etc. This will give you a feel for your car's ability to grip the road and improve your control skills.

See Winter Motoring at the SmartDriving web site for detailed information.