WATCH ABOVE: Driving in winter conditions can be downright treacherous, especially if the roads are covered in ice. But one group embraces the icy conditions for sport. Margeaux Morin reports.
EDMONTON — For many people, driving at a high speed down wintry roads is a terrifying prospect. Karen Leonhardt grew up in rural Alberta and knows first-hand how treacherous the highways can be.
“It can get scary, especially on ice.”
And her initial reaction to skidding out of control doesn’t help the slippery situation.
“I would have hit the brakes and screamed!”
READ MORE: 5 worst winter driving habits
But for a group of Albertans, an icy lake surface is ideal for some wintertime ice racing. The Northern Alberta Sports Car Club hosted Ice Racing School followed by an ice racing meet this weekend just west of Edmonton.
The president of NASCC, Jed Harrison, thinks the skills learned at ice racing school can translate to poor winter driving conditions.
“A lot of people think they know what they are doing out on the road, and they haven’t had the experience of losing control of their car,” he explained,
For this reason, he encouraged participants to bring their regular vehicles for a spin on the ice.
So what do you do when you find yourself skidding on ice covered roads? Gary Roberts has taught ice driving lessons across Alberta, and recommends that you “be smooth with every transition you make,” which includes not jerking the wheel or hitting the brakes abruptly.
“The more you upset the balance of your car, the more likely you are to spin or end up in the ditch.”
By taking your car out on to the closed course, Roberts thinks you can “understand what your vehicle does at the limit … and learn those skills without putting yourself, or anybody else in danger.”
For Leonhardt, attending ice driving school has given her a new sense of confidence on winter roads.
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