With the onset of winter, many motorists, andespecially beginners, prefer to put their cars on a long winter parking lot. It is necessary to remember all the charm of trips in public transport. Of course, the fear of failing to manage and get into an accident can make you move around in crowded subway cars and the close cabs of fixed-route taxis. In addition, public transport is not always regular, and waiting for it at windswept stops and altogether not an enjoyable occupation. It becomes clear that driving a car in winter is vital, and not as difficult as it may seem. If this is the first winter for you on wheels, you should learn a few simple rules to avoid or minimize the "winter" troubles.
Cooking the car
It's not a secret that for the winter the caryou need to prepare. The serviceability of the car depends on how successfully you manage to cope with the complexities and features of the winter roads. They in our country and in summer resemble a range for extreme driving, and in winter - especially since for road services winter always unexpectedly happens in the very beginning of December. Therefore, it is best to go to the maintenance station. There you will be replaced with oil and brake fluid, check the battery and the main components of the car, change the water in the washer for "ice-free", change the antifreeze in case of severe frost and, of course, replace tires with winter tires. By the way, the reserve should also be worn in winter tires. Do not listen to numerous friends and unscrupulous consultants in the car dealer advising you to buy a set of all-season rubber. Any professional driver will tell you that there are two types of tires - winter and summer. And you need to change them according to the season. Do not neglect the attendance of the maintenance station or postpone it until the last. In order not to stand idle while waiting for your turn to service with the first snow, it's best to agree in advance about the time when you will fit your car.
Winter driving lessons
Some girls before the onset of wintergo to various driving schools that promise to teach driving in extreme conditions. But what if you do not have excess funds, but learn how to drive a car in winter is necessary? Do not train you, as they say, in "combat" conditions and in real time, at the risk of your own safety and safety of numerous drivers and pedestrians! Many instructors of driving schools advise: before you start driving in unusual conditions (ice, wet asphalt or snowy road), it is vital to practice and "feel" how the car behaves. That is, to feel how you manage your car in these conditions. Best of all, if you master driving in the winter you will help someone from experienced drivers. Father, young man, friend or brother. Do not hesitate to ask for help and advice. First, look at how your volunteer teacher maneuvers, and ask for an explanation if something is not understood. And only then sit behind the wheel to repeat the lesson. An impromptu polygon may be a nearby wasteland or a dead-end congress, a place where there is no risk of causing an accident or knocking down a pedestrian. These lessons are needed not only from the point of view of obtaining practical skills, but also as psychological training. They will help you feel more confident when driving, improve your response and give you the opportunity to get rid of fears of the winter road, if any. As an aid, you can bring along a few empty cans. They will be useful to you as chips. It will be possible to master the movement between obstacles forward or backward, and also work out the braking before the obstacle. A light canister does not damage your car, but you can feel a good enough collision. And be sure to take a shovel with you. It will come in handy when you master the exit from the snowdrift. 
Secrets of skill, or all ingenious - SDA
You already have a car and you need to know itfeatures, as on the winter road front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles "behave" differently. For example, in the case of a skidding front-wheel drive car, you can not in any case release the gas pedal. By doing this, you will provoke a spin. On the contrary, the gas must be added. In the event that the rear-wheel drive car has skidded, the steering wheel should be turned towards the drift and release the brake completely in the first instant. And if the car could not be leveled out, it is necessary to turn the car's hood 90 degrees to the side of the road, in case of "leaving" in the ditch the car buried its nose in the snow, and did not turn over to the roof. If your car is full drive, then you need to let go of the gas and taxi. For all-wheel drive vehicles, grip is better. A manual transmission, if you own it well, gives you much greater room for correct maneuver during skidding than automatic transmission. When driving from a slope or incline in the icy conditions, use the inertia of the car. Before climbing a little add to the speed, otherwise the car can stall, and no spikes from this will not save. When driving from a mountain, the speed must be reset. But in any case, do not press the brake sharply. It is better to go down in a lower gear, so that the car moves "vnatyag". And under no circumstances do not move in a neutral transmission or down. In case of danger, when the bill goes for milliseconds, you simply do not have time to react and do something. Recall that in winter, the optimal number of movements of the steering wheel per second is four. Try to bring them to automatism, without making unnecessary movements, but also not stiffening with the hands on the steering wheel. In case you are trapped in deep snow and the machine is stuck, do not let the wheels slip. Of snow, it is best to get out of the swing, "playing" the gas pedal. Otherwise you will be stuck tight.
The quieter you go, the further you'll get
If you decide that you have trained enough insafe places, and are going to move independently in the city, remember that the technique of driving a car in winter should always be based on a few simple rules:
- Do not make sudden movements. Sharp movements behind the wheel of a car are dangerous at any time of the year. And in winter they can lead to irreparable consequences. Therefore, try to do everything smoothly: turn the steering wheel, press the brake, the gas pedal, in the case of a manual transmission - switch the speed and squeeze the clutch.
- Observe the speed limit established on this or that section of the road. Be sure to pay attention to the time signs of speed limits.
- No excessive self-confidence. Even if you think that extreme driving courses give you this right.
- Increase the distance prescribed in the rules intwo, and best of all - three times. This will give you room for maneuver, since even with full confidence in your own reaction, you can not vouch for the skill of other participants in the movement.
- In the cold there is no dry road. So, even if this second under the wheels of dry asphalt, do not rush to gain speed - you have no guarantee that in 500 meters on the road there will be no ice.
- Be especially careful before the crossroads,even if the traffic light is green. It is in these places that the ice is particularly slippery due to the constant braking of numerous machines. Before such places, it is best to drop the speed in advance.
- No unnecessary rebuilding. Forget about them for the winter. In advance, rearrange to the leftmost row, if you need to turn left or to the far right, if to the right. Do not do this just before the turn.
- Always keep the "ice-free" in reserve, even if you have a full tank. You never know when it will end.
So, the main rule of the technique of drivingcar in the winter is intelligence. Do not forget the well-known to all motorists words: "Quiet ride - you will continue". Let them become your golden rule, and then winter driving will give you as much pleasure as driving at any other time of the year. We advise you to read:
