I love driving in snow. For me, it's fun! A few weeks ago we got one of the worst snowstorms since 2008 and I was driving my son home from school. When our car got stuck, no problem. Using some techniques I learned from my dad, we got out in no time.
Winter driving brings back memories of driving with my dad. Having lived in Quebec for many years, he's driven through his fair share of snowstorms... and you haven't seen snow until you've seen Quebec snow. Needless to say, my dad knew how to handle his car when it came to driving through the relatively milder Ontario winter season.
When I was a kid sitting in his car, I would feel it slipping and saw what he did to maintain control. He was never nervous, always calm. If the car got stuck in the snow, he showed me how to 'rock' the car and manoeuvre his way out. In fact, he had fun driving in the snow too. I definitely got my winter driving perspective from him and I hope to pass that attitude onto my sons too.
Confidence in winter driving comes with experience. If you're not familiar with how your car handles when it's slipping and sliding, it's natural to feel nervous on the road. Consider taking winter driving courses. In the Greater Toronto Area, Sweetie Girl Racing offers winter driving clinics. If you're not in the GTA, search the web for a local driving company that offers similar programs. During these clinics, you get to experience in a safe environment what your car feels like with low traction and you practice how to maintain control of the car. If you have a new driver in your family, why not bring them with? It's a great way to spend some quality time and develop practical driving skills.
When you're driving with kids in the car they are watching how you react and how you handle the road. They're learning about driving way before they write their driver's license test. One of the best things you can demonstrate to these future drivers is that winter driving's really no big deal!
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