Driving Your Vehicle
6-52
The severe weather conditions of winter quickly wear out tires and cause other
problems. To minimize winter driving problems, you should take the following
suggestions:
Snow or Icy Conditions
You need to keep sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of
you.
Apply the brakes gently. Speeding, rapid acceleration, sudden brake applications, and
sharp turns are potentially very hazardous practices. During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden brake applications on snowy or icy roads may
cause the vehicle to skid.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may be necessary to use snow tires or to install
tire chains on your tires.
Always carry emergency equipment. Some of the items you may want to carry include
tire chains, tow straps or chains, a flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a shovel, jumper
cables, a window scraper, gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket, etc.
Snow tires
WARNING
Snow tires should be equivalent in size and type to the vehicle’s standard tires.
Otherwise, the safety and handling of your vehicle may be adversely affected.
You use snow tires when road temperature is below 7°C (45°F). Refer to the below
chart, and mount the recommended snow tire for your vehicle.
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle, make sure to use the same Inflation pressure
as the original tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions. The traction provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle’s original equipment tires. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommendations.
WINTER DRIVING
