The great thaw of spring and the beautiful days and warm temperatures that come with it actually provide some of the most picturesque conditions for winter sports. Spring skiing in Canada is some of the best in the world and it’s only one way to enjoy the waning winter season.
But are you confident your car can still get you up the mountain? Winter may come to an end, but driver safety never does. You need to be prepared at all times because you never know where life will take you.
Get a grip
The biggest key to staying safe on icy roads is traction and the way that traction interfaces with the road below. According to Tire Rack, a tire requires proper air pressure and at least 6/32-inch deep tread. With tread you need the power to accelerate and all-wheel drive can compliment your tires grip when accelerating in slippery conditions by distributing torque to the tires with the best traction.
For example, Lexus’s 2013 GS 350 AWD advanced system distributes up to 70 per cent of power to the rear wheels and 30 per cent to the front wheels. When slippage occurs, the system transfers power to give you the best possible traction with up to 50% of torque being transferred to the front wheels.
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Make sure you can see
There’s no point even starting your journey if you can’t see in first place, make sure your windshield wiper blades and washer system are in proper working order with lots of new de-icing fluid. Cover all windows and mirrors with rain repellent like Rain-X and defrost the interior of your windows by running the air conditioner.
Make sure all your front and rear lights are working and free from snow. LED brake lamps and stop lamps never burn out and some cars feature adaptive front lighting, which monitors turning angle and vehicle speed to direct the lights accordingly. In addition, auto-levelling in some cars uses sensors to correct headlamp aim according to the vehicle’s posture.
Reduce the risk of a crash
If a road looks slick, it probably is. Like a race car driver, you should memorize the tough spots along your route, so you can avoid them. However, if you’re spinning out, don’t repeatedly spin the wheel. If the icy conditions stop and your front tires regain their hold, you will move in whatever direction the wheel is pointed, which could be into oncoming traffic.
For rear-tire slides, get a car with electronic stability control and invest in a full set of quality winter tires. Invest in a vehicle with front seat mounted side airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags and rear seat side airbags, so that if you do get into an accident, you’re protected from all sides.
Some cars feature a pre-collision system, which senses an unavoidable collision and reacts to minimize the damage to all passengers. For example, the breaks are applied automatically and the driver and front passenger seat belts are instantly retracted.
Follow these simple tips and you’ll feel no fear driving in winter conditions in any part of the world.
To see the ultimate test of the GS 350 AWD F Sport, visit the Lexus Ice Event page
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