Although the last vestiges of autumn's colour still cling to outstretched branches, there's no use denying it: Winter is on its way.
With it comes all the freezing cold treachery we've come to associate with our Canadian winters. But you don't have to dread winter driving this year. With a little bit of awareness, you can face winter's worst head on, and arrive at your destination safely.
One investment that will repay you many times over the years to come is a good winter driving school.
There are many top-notch schools across Canada, and one - the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy - will even come to you. Like a giant, travelling road show, the academy's tractor trailer moves from coast-to-coast with its 12-vehicle fleet to hold clinics in urban centres across the country.
The beauty of an organized driving school is that, under the watchful eye of experienced instructors, students can experience loss of control under safe conditions. This is usually done through a series of exercises - straight-line braking, navigating a slalom course, and maintaining control on a circular skid pad - all performed on snow or ice.
By learning hands-on how to anticipate and correct any skids or slides, students become safer every day drivers.
If a winter driving school just isn't in the budget, you can still apply most of their common-sense approach tips to your every day commute.
First of all, do yourself - and your passengers - a favour: Equip your car with a genuine set of winter tires, they're hands down the best peace of mind that money can buy for tackling snow-covered roads. There's no substitute. All-seasons just don't compare when it comes to grip and traction on frozen surfaces. Snow tires are made with specially formulated compounds that remain grippy in sub-zero temperatures, which means shorter stopping distances, and less chance of sliding. And that goes for all-wheel drive and 4x4 vehicles too; although both systems are great for clambering out of deep snow, neither one has any grip advantage over a two-wheel drive vehicle. Four matched snow tires are the rule for all vehicles, regardless of their drivetrain.
With it comes all the freezing cold treachery we've come to associate with our Canadian winters. But you don't have to dread winter driving this year. With a little bit of awareness, you can face winter's worst head on, and arrive at your destination safely.
One investment that will repay you many times over the years to come is a good winter driving school.
There are many top-notch schools across Canada, and one - the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy - will even come to you. Like a giant, travelling road show, the academy's tractor trailer moves from coast-to-coast with its 12-vehicle fleet to hold clinics in urban centres across the country.
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| Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada |
The beauty of an organized driving school is that, under the watchful eye of experienced instructors, students can experience loss of control under safe conditions. This is usually done through a series of exercises - straight-line braking, navigating a slalom course, and maintaining control on a circular skid pad - all performed on snow or ice.
By learning hands-on how to anticipate and correct any skids or slides, students become safer every day drivers.
If a winter driving school just isn't in the budget, you can still apply most of their common-sense approach tips to your every day commute.
First of all, do yourself - and your passengers - a favour: Equip your car with a genuine set of winter tires, they're hands down the best peace of mind that money can buy for tackling snow-covered roads. There's no substitute. All-seasons just don't compare when it comes to grip and traction on frozen surfaces. Snow tires are made with specially formulated compounds that remain grippy in sub-zero temperatures, which means shorter stopping distances, and less chance of sliding. And that goes for all-wheel drive and 4x4 vehicles too; although both systems are great for clambering out of deep snow, neither one has any grip advantage over a two-wheel drive vehicle. Four matched snow tires are the rule for all vehicles, regardless of their drivetrain.
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| Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com |