Thanks to the Internet, the world is a more connected place. While this is a good thing overall, it also facilitates the spread of misconceptions. Some misconceptions are harmless while others concerning winter driving may cause a car accident. If you intend to drive in areas with snow and ice this winter, here are three winter driving myths that are best left ignored:
All Season Tires Work for All Seasons
The name “all season tires” only applies to areas that don’t get snow or ice over the winter. Using these tires on icy/snowy pavement reduces your ability to accelerate, steer, and brake. While you can get around in many situations with extreme care and with gentle steering and braking, you have little safety margin. Climbing steep inclines is problematic and braking on steep downhills becomes next to impossible. Use snow tires in wintry conditions. They have softer rubber and deeper tread than all season tires. This gives snow tires far better traction on ice and snow.
ABS Increases Your Braking Power
ABS prevents the tires from locking up on slippery surfaces should you apply the brakes hard. However, this doesn’t increase the traction between your tires and the road. It’s this traction that sets the absolute limit of your car’s ability to stop. If you don’t allow enough distance for safe braking, you will still collide with an obstacle. However, the collision will occur without skidding.
All Wheel Drive Increases Safety in Snow and Ice
All wheel drive means that the engine powers all of your wheels. While this is an advantage when accelerating, it doesn’t improve your braking or handling. You don’t use power from the engine when you need to brake. That’s the function of the brakes. Since all cars have brakes on each wheel, the all wheel drive vehicle has no braking advantage.
Handling is determined by the car’s suspension and the wheels’ traction. Having engine torque in all of your wheels has little if any effect on this.
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident, seek the legal advice of an experienced car accident lawyer. Contact us at Hogan Injury today.