How to drive a manual car in the snow

DRIVING in winter requires caution and skill even if you have the advantage of driving a manual vehicle.

As Britain faces the possibility of snow over the next few months, it will pay to know how to tackle the ice and snow safely.

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Drivers have to be extra careful as British weather turns Arctic[/caption]

Where there’s a wheel there’s a way

Whether you’re driving an automatic vehicle or a manual, the snow will present its own challenges to drivers on the road.

Drivers are urged to exercise more caution when driving in harsh weather conditions, regardless of your cars transmission.

Some tips are useful to consider whichever type of car you drive.

This includes cornering with care and being light on the accelerator and brakes where possible.

And be warned, your insurance might not cover accidents if your provider thinks you have driven irresponsibly.

What’s the difference?

Driving a manual car does have some advantages over an automatic vehicle when there’s snow on the roads.

One of the great advantages of a manual transmission is that drivers will have more control over the gears.

If you’re in an automatic vehicle, you’re at the mercy of your brakes when slowing or stopping in wet, snowy, or icy conditions.

Automatic brakes can ice up, and can easily skid out of control when braking suddenly.

With a manual vehicle however, you can downshift into second gear to slow down and sometimes avoid the brakes entirely.

Manual drivers have an advantage over their vehicle’s handling and can gain more control over the road, while reducing the chances of skids and slipping accidents.

Winter driving mode

According to the RAC, manual drivers should set off in second gear and change up as soon as they get moving.

Accelerate gently and use low revs to avoid a wheelspin, giving you greater control over the car.

Some cars have winter driving modes for this exact reason, but it’s easy enough to do it by yourself if you follow our advice.

Low gear

Alamy

Check with your dealership or your cars manual to see if your car has a winter driving mode[/caption]

At the beginning, second.

Then when you get going, shifting up is sensible to prevent wheel slips.

Be light on the throttle and don’t try to rush – you’ll be going nowhere.

Always leave plenty of room in front of you when changing gear just in case.

And operate all controls very slowly and carefully.

Avoiding slamming on the brakes is always sensible, but particularly in winter when there’s less grip.

And always, always corner slowly and carefully, leaving double your usual distance from the car ahead to increase your braking distance.

Ten times rule

Autotrader advises drivers to remember the Ten Times rule and drive more cautiously in cold weather.

The rule gets its name from the fact that ice can increase stopping distances by up to ten times.

This means it will take far longer to bring your motor to come to a halt than it would in less wintry conditions at the same speed.

According to the RAC, the average stopping distance for a family car on a dry road at 30mph is 75 feet, while at 70mph it’s 315 feet.

By the Ten Times rule, this could increase to 750 feet and 3150 feet respectively.

That means it could take up to half a mile for your car to come to a stop from 70mph.

Downhill

Simply put, when you’re going downhill.

That’s because braking in a low gear is always quicker – so when the risk of an accident is heightened, a few extra yards could make a huge difference.

But make sure you don’t jolt between gears because that can cause the car to lurch.

Other winter driving tips we’ve recommended include cleaning your windscreen carefully.

This will potentially save you a small fortune in fines, too.