A thin layer of snow can make a familiar road feel completely different. Grip is reduced, braking distances increase and small movements at the steering wheel can have a much bigger effect. Knowing how to drive in snow, avoid skidding and wheelspin is not about being fearless. It is about preparing properly, looking well ahead and making every control input smooth and measured.

For learner drivers, the safest decision is often not to travel unless the journey is necessary. If you do need to drive, give yourself more time than usual and accept that progress may be slower. Safe driving in winter is never about keeping up with the vehicle behind you.

Prepare the car before you move

Good winter driving starts before the engine is running. Clear all snow and ice from the windscreen, windows, mirrors, lights and number plates. Do not drive using only a small cleared area on the windscreen. Your view must be clear in every direction, especially at junctions and when checking mirrors.

Remove snow from the roof as well. It can slide forward when you brake, obstructing your view, or fall onto the vehicle behind. Check that your washer fluid is suitable for low temperatures, as ordinary water can freeze. Keep your fuel level sensible, particularly if you are travelling further from home or may be delayed.

Your tyres matter more than almost any other part of the car in snow. They need sufficient tread and correct pressures to clear water and slush effectively. Winter tyres can offer better grip in consistently cold conditions, although they do not make a car immune to ice. If your tyres are worn or underinflated, snow will expose the problem quickly.

Wear footwear that lets you feel the pedals properly. Thick boots, slippery soles or shoes that are wet from snow can make smooth pedal control harder. Before pulling away, make sure your windows are not misting up and that your heater settings give you a clear windscreen.

How to drive in snow without wheelspin

Wheelspin happens when the driven wheels turn faster than the road surface can support. In a front-wheel-drive car, this usually means the front wheels spin. In a rear-wheel-drive car, it is more likely to be the rear wheels. Either way, the answer is not more accelerator.

Pull away as gently as possible. In a manual car, use a little more clutch control than normal and apply only a small amount of accelerator. Many cars can pull away in second gear on level, compacted snow because it reduces the force sent to the wheels. However, this depends on the car, the slope and the surface. If second gear makes the engine struggle or risks stalling, use first gear gently instead.

In an automatic, select the vehicle’s winter or snow mode if it has one. Some automatics also have a setting that allows a higher-gear pull-away. Check the vehicle handbook so you understand what the system does before you need it.

If the wheels begin to spin, ease off the accelerator straight away. Keep the steering as straight as you can, as turning the wheels sharply while trying to pull away asks even more of the limited grip available. Pause, regain control and try again with less power. Rocking the car backwards and forwards may help if it is stuck, but only if there is clear space around you and you can do it without excessive revving.

Avoid stopping halfway up a snowy hill if possible. Build gentle momentum before the incline, select an appropriate gear early and keep a steady speed. Do not accelerate hard halfway up the hill. If you cannot continue safely, it is better to stop where safe and reassess than to force the car onwards.

Use smooth controls to avoid skidding in snow

Snow rewards anticipation. Look as far ahead as you can so that you can spot bends, queues, crossings, traffic lights and changes in road surface early. The earlier you react, the less abruptly you need to brake, steer or accelerate.

Leave a much bigger gap than you would in dry conditions. On snow or ice, stopping distances can be dramatically longer, and no fixed distance is guaranteed. Your following distance should give you time to brake progressively and still leave room if the car in front stops unexpectedly.

Brake early and gently, ideally while travelling in a straight line. Modern cars with anti-lock braking systems, known as ABS, allow you to steer while braking firmly in an emergency. If ABS activates, you may feel a pulsing through the brake pedal. Keep firm pressure on the brake and look where you need to go, rather than pumping the pedal.

That does not mean relying on ABS to rescue poor planning. It cannot create grip where there is almost none. On untreated side roads, compacted snow, black ice or polished slush, even a well-equipped car can slide further than expected.

Use a higher gear than usual once you are moving, where appropriate. Higher gears reduce engine revs and make it less likely that acceleration will overwhelm the tyres. Change gear smoothly and avoid selecting a gear that is too high for the speed, as labouring the engine can make the car less responsive when you need control.

Steer gently into bends and reduce speed before you turn. Braking heavily while cornering can unsettle the vehicle, particularly on a downhill bend. If the road is covered in snow, avoid sudden lane changes and do not cut across the centre of the road unless it is safe, legal and necessary.

What to do if the car starts to skid

A skid can feel alarming, but panic is the biggest danger. The first priority is to reduce the demands you are placing on the tyres. Ease off the accelerator and avoid sudden braking or sharp steering movements.

If the front of the car does not follow your steering and continues straight on, known as understeer, gently ease off the accelerator and reduce your steering angle slightly. The front tyres need a chance to regain grip. Forcing the steering wheel further around usually will not help.

If the rear of the car begins to move outwards, known as oversteer, look towards where you want the car to go and steer smoothly in that direction. Ease off the accelerator. Do not jerk the wheel or stamp on the brakes, as this can make the slide worse. As the car straightens, straighten the steering too, otherwise you may cause it to slide in the opposite direction.

These are useful principles, but a public road is not the place to practise skids deliberately. If conditions are severe enough that the car is regularly losing grip, consider whether the journey should continue at all.

Read the road, not just the snow

Not every winter road surface looks dangerous. Fresh snow can provide some grip, while compacted snow may be more slippery. Slush can pull at the steering, and wet-looking patches may be black ice, especially on bridges, shaded roads, rural lanes and roads that have not been gritted.

Be particularly cautious near pedestrian crossings, roundabouts, junctions and bus stops. Traffic repeatedly braking and pulling away can polish snow into a very slippery surface. In busy areas of North London, side streets may remain untreated long after main roads have improved.

Keep an eye on vehicles ahead. If their wheels are throwing up little spray, the road may be freezing rather than merely wet. If they are braking earlier than expected or moving unusually slowly, take that as useful information, not an invitation to overtake.

Build confidence before winter conditions arrive

Winter driving is easier when the basic skills are already secure: moving off smoothly, choosing the right gear, reading the road ahead and controlling speed before hazards. Learners should not feel pressured to drive in snow before they are ready, but discussing poor-weather techniques with an instructor can make the situation far less intimidating.

At CJL Driving School, lessons focus on the habits that help drivers stay calm when conditions change – observation, planning and controlled use of the pedals, steering and gears. These skills support you well beyond test day.

If snow is forecast, plan carefully, allow extra time and be prepared to postpone a non-essential journey. The most confident winter driver is not the one who pushes on regardless. It is the one who recognises the limits of the road, the car and their own experience, then makes the safe choice.