Knowledge Post

Recently, the temperature has dropped across the country on a large scale, and it has begun to snow in many places and even the roads have become icy, posing a great threat to driving safety. So, how can we ensure safe driving on icy and snowy roads in winter? Today the "Director" talks to the officials about this topic.

1. Should ESP be turned off on icy and snowy roads?

"ESP" stands for Electronic Stability Program. There are other names for different models, such as Toyota called VSC and BMW called DSC. Although they have different names, they all do the same job to the driver.

The friction on icy and snowy roads is much smaller than usual, and the vehicle may slide laterally when turning slightly. At this time, the electronic stability program that is turned on will intervene immediately to correct the problem. The vehicle body moves to avoid the dangers caused by sideslip and loss of control, and enhances driving safety in snowy weather.

When encountering special terrain with low tire adhesion such as icy and snowy roads or muddy ground, because the torque of the first gear is larger and the wheels slip, ESP may determine that the wheel trajectory is abnormal and intervene, causing Difficulty getting started. At this time, you can turn off ESP and turn it on again after starting. Such situations are extremely rare.

2. Safe driving skills on ice and snow roads

1. Starting

When starting on ice and snow roads, you should slowly release the brake or release the clutch to let the vehicle move slowly. Then lightly step on the accelerator. Be careful not to apply too much oil as soon as you start, as the wheels will definitely slip and sideslip will easily occur. If the first gear is slipping and weak when starting, you can directly try the second or third gear. Some vehicles come with a snow mode to make starting off easier.

2. Increase speed

Remember to step on the accelerator slowly and let the vehicle speed increase slowly. Do not use too much floor oil, as this can easily lead to slippage due to driving force, and high-speed skidding is even more dangerous. If you find that the vehicle is swinging from side to side during acceleration, you should release the accelerator in time and hold the steering wheel firmly to allow the vehicle to slow down on its own without braking vigorously.

3. Braking

Nowadays, vehicles are basically equipped with an ABS anti-lock braking system. The wheels will not lock up severely when the brakes are applied. At the same time, the vehicle is equipped with an EBS braking force distribution system. This allows the vehicle's braking to be properly distributed. Therefore, when braking on icy and snowy roads, ABS works immediately to obtain the maximum braking effect.

In addition, using engine downshift braking is also a good choice. When decelerating, actively downshift the transmission and let the engine drag the vehicle to slow down, so that the deceleration effect is better and very smooth.

4. Turning

Turning on icy and snowy roads further tests the driver’s skills. First of all, when turning, you need to hold the steering wheel with both hands, use the correct steering method, and turn left and right alternately.

When turning on icy and snowy roads, you need to reduce the speed to a safe speed range before entering the corner, and then slowly turn the direction to turn. Do not suddenly refuel or apply the brakes heavily in the curve, which can easily lead to loss of control. . The correct approach is: slow down before the bend → release the brake and turn the steering wheel slowly → the vehicle slides through the bend → slowly return the steering wheel → and finally, slowly add gas.

5. Avoiding Obstacles

In emergency avoidance on icy and snowy roads, you need to apply the brakes firmly, reduce the speed of the vehicle, and turn slowly to avoid obstacles. Having defensive driving awareness can prevent unexpected accidents.

6. Slopes

Driving on slopes on icy and snowy roads is more dangerous. When going uphill, you should use the inertia of the vehicle to rush uphill and avoid parking on the slope to avoid skidding and difficulty in starting, especially for rear-wheel drive vehicles. When going downhill, you can use low gears and use engine auxiliary braking to slow down the vehicle.

3. Precautions for car maintenance in winter

1. Heating system In winter, it is the season to use heating again. The heating system will also malfunction after being out of service for a long time. , so first test whether there is hot air, whether there is any abnormal noise when the fan is running, and whether the air duct is smooth. Sometimes it happens that the antifreeze in the heater water pipe has not flowed for a long time, and condensation blocks the circulation pipe. Although it does not affect driving, it is very troublesome to repair. If there is a problem, you must go to the repair shop to repair it in time.

2. Cooling system

Antifreeze must be used in winter, especially in the north where the weather is cold and the temperature is below zero most of the time. If there is ordinary water in the engine cooling system, it is easy to Ice forms, which is not conducive to starting the car and can almost cause serious damage to the engine. So don’t forget to check the antifreeze when winter comes. Generally speaking, it is recommended to change the antifreeze every two years.

3. Power supply system

Battery is very "sensitive" to low temperature. The battery capacity in low temperature environment is much lower than that at normal temperature. Before winter comes, the battery terminals should also be cleaned and protected with special grease to ensure reliable start-up and extend battery life.

4. Full vehicle lighting inspection

In winter, a comprehensive inspection of the working status of the entire vehicle's lights should be carried out, and blackened light bulbs should be replaced as soon as possible. Fog lights, brake lights, and turn signals should attract more attention.

5. Tires

Snow tires are particularly suitable for driving on ice and snow roads. The tread in contact with the road uses a special silicon-containing material to ensure that the tires It is still particularly soft under extremely low temperature conditions and provides excellent grip, which greatly improves driving safety.

Written at the end:

With good driving habits, driving on ice and snow is not difficult. The ice and snow road is like a magnifying glass, magnifying the bad habits of ordinary drivers one by one. Therefore, maintain good driving habits, predict the road ahead in advance, and prepare to brake early, which can greatly improve driving safety on ice and snow roads. Another more important point is that the mentality needs to be stable. Note: Some pictures come from the Internet

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.