Winter Driving Tips
If there’s one thing about living in the prairies that makes the winters difficult, it’s knowing we have to drive in them as well. It’s a daunting challenge, especially in Saskatchewan, but it’s not impossible. Luckily, we at Rally Volkswagen compiled a list of important driving tips and narrowed them down to our top 3, ensuring you’ll have a safe drive in some of the toughest roads and conditions in Canada.
Drive Slow
Let’s start with one of the most important tips for winter driving anyone can do: slow down. There’s nothing to gain from rushing in your morning commute while the roads are icy, so plan ahead and account for shoveling, traffic, drive-thru at Tim’s, etc . A few minutes late for work are worth avoiding the risks of collision. It’s always important to accelerate and decelerate the gas pedal slowly whether you’re on snow or ice. Not only does this help prevent accidents, but it helps your vehicle create traction between the tires and the ground as well. This method is useful for getting yourself out of shallow snow banks and avoiding your tires from skidding against the ice once the traffic light turns green.
Brake Early
Not only is it important to slow down while driving, but it’s also important to take your braking time and distances into account as well. The Saskatchewan Driver’s Handbook recommends giving yourself a minimum distance of three seconds away from the vehicle in front of you as a precaution. This allows for better control in stopping and turning, especially in curved roadways.
Another important thing to note is knowing when your brake pads need to be replaced. You can check for wear by looking at your brake pads through the spaces between the wheel’s spokes. The outside pad will be pressed against the metal rotor and there should be at least ¼ inch of pad. If you see less than ¼, we recommend you getting your brake pads inspected or replaced. Luckily, Rally Volkswagen offers fantastic services and repairs for your Volkswagen vehicle, so if you need to have your brake pads inspected or replaced just book an appointment with our service staff and we’ll make sure their working and up-to-date.
Get Winter Tires
This tip is a bit of an investment, but we promise you it’s worth it for the extra convenience and safety. We recommend keeping one set of tires for the summer (likely an all-season set), as well as another set exclusively for winter. Winter tires provide better traction on dry roads, ice, snow, and slush in colder temperature because their treading and siping is designed to grip snow and push away water and slush. Also, the rubber compound used for winter tires stay flexible in the cold weather conditions so they don’t freeze and pop—an inconvenience that’s even worse in the winter time.
If you also wondered whether Rally Volkswagen can help you with purchasing a set of winter tires, well we can! We offer competitive prices and seasonal offers for you to save money, as well as installation, off-season storage, and a wide selection of winter tires recommended by our specialists for you to pair with your vehicle.
We at Rally Volkswagen know how tough it is driving in the winter, and so we want to make things easier for you. We hope our tips helped make your winter a safe one to drive through.