How to Brake Correctly on Snow and Ice

Learn why you don't gear down on slippery conditions to slow or bring your vehicle to a stop - watch the video. Driver's Test Checklist ► www.smartdrive... SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ► / smartdrivetest
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Braking on snow, ice and other slippery conditions could potentially cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Don’t use the transmission to gear down. Gearing down could cause the wheels to lock, which will see you lose control. Use the brake to bring the vehicle to a stop. If the vehicle starts to skid, you can simply take your foot off the brake allow the tires to turn, and then brake again. If driving an automatic car, when preparing to slow, put the transmission into neutral to cut all residual power to the drivetrain and aid in stopping.
Good luck on your road test.
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[@habermann2626]

I was on my way to school one day, road was icy. When I used my brakes to stop at a stop sign, I started sliding a bit. After that I decided to downshift the rest of my drive, never slipped once.

[@radusaftoiu6963]

Wonderful advice brought to you by someone who doesn't know how to drive a manual transmission. The bottom line you either use the brakes or downshift, as long as you have enough experience to control your vehicle. I have been using both interchangeably for years without an issue.

[@smartdrivetest]

How many vehicles have you owned? Have they all been manual cars? How many years have you had your driver's license? Cheers Rick

[@BlueTickCH]

@@smartdrivetest 15 years having my DL . 15 years having a Manual & auto. All I can say when driving any car in a slippery situation never use your brakes . Let off the gas or go in neutral all I can say . STAY SAFE OUT THERE

[@UkatzGaming]

I've always used engine power and downshifting to slow down in the winter. Not once have my wheels locked up due to doing so. Nor have I heard of anyone ending up in the ditch due to doing so. Also the driving schools in my country teach you to downshift in the winter instead of using the brake pedal. Must be different in the States i guess.

[@smartdrivetest]

And what country are you in my friend. Why would you use a $20K drive train to save $1K brakes? And downshifting is the same as using cruise control on slippery conditions. It is NOT recommended. The #1 reason that lorrie drivers lose control on slippery roads in the rear tandems of the tractor kicking out from under the trailer due to wheel lock up. Downshifting to slow the vehicle is OLD practices from the 1950s & 60s when brakes were unreliable. Brakes are now unreliable and far superior method of controlling the vehicle on slippery conditions. Cheers Rick

[@UkatzGaming]

@@smartdrivetest I'm from Estonia. A small country in northern Europe where we get all 4 seasons and our winters last for around 3 months. Over 70% of our population still drives manual transmission vehicles. Winter tires are required by law here. I understand how it may be different for lorries. I've never driven one so I can't really say how they act in extreme conditions. For standard car/suv i use downshifting because that's how I'm used to driving. Also most vehicles I operate do not have ABS braking system. So whenever possible I prefer to slow down smoothly instead of locking up my wheels when braking with the pedal. Cheers! -Uku

[@smartdrivetest]

Thank you for your great reply my friend. Yes, and I would agree that manual transmissions are far superior in the winter. Most of the transmissions in North America are now automatic. Yes, many learn to downshift and continue to do it throughout their driving career. I once too downshifted, But an instructor asked me why I was downshifting, when the brakes work just fine. After that, I stopped working so hard. Take care. All the best, Cheers Rick

[@vikingboar4336]

@@UkatzGaming I also tend to downshift during winter and especially in freezing temperatures during let's say late Autumn when I've made the call to keep my summer tires on, which are fine if you don't make dumb or rushed decisions in terms of accelerating and especially slowing down, stopping or moving off. It also helps when you can avoid the highway which is the case for me. Although my car has ABS, I still downshift from time to time, in fact I do that to practice how to do it smoothly depending on how I pace the tap of the gas pedal in relation to lifting the clutch to engage the gear. I might also consider using a bit of the mechanical handbrake to support the footbrakes, which I understand are mainly connected to the front axle and less likely to the rear axle. My car is front-wheel drive and front-engine.

[@rawsonreich]

Thank you for the tips on what to do on snow and ice I have not used neutral before though

[@smartdrivetest]

Pushing the selector into neutral in an automatic transmission is a good technique when roads are slippery. By putting the transmission into neutral, it cuts all the residual power to the drive train and the brakes are fighting against excess momentum. This technique allows for maximum control when braking on snow and ice. Cheers Rick

[@travisfitzgibbons3284]

Genuinely curious because this goes against everything I’ve been taught. In Colorado I do a lot of mountain driving and in the mountains I’ve always been taught to always gear down and use the brake when needed. Would you still say use the breaks over gear down? I will say I do fear gearing down because I agree the wheels can lock up, especially if you get down too low, but at the same time, I also fear losing my brakes and have noticed a couple times when using the brakes heavily they do start getting brake fade and shake a bit

[@kowanmcgarry]

Can I also use the hand brake/emergency brake to stop on ice. Will that help as well. Especially going downhill on ice. In an automatic transmission.

[@smartdrivetest]

Nope! Don't use the handbrake my friend. Just use the foot pedal. That way, if the car starts to go out of control, you can quickly take your foot off the pedal, allow the tires to turn, and then reapply the brakes to maintain control while braking on snow and ice. If you're going on a downhill and you know it's super slippery, I would suggest that you find another route if possible. If it's super slippery, it doesn't matter what you do, you're going to have a super hard time controlling the vehicle. The trick is to keep the wheels turning so you maintain steering, but some times you have to brake too to try and control your speed. All the best, Cheers Rick

[@kowanmcgarry]

@@smartdrivetest Thank you Rick.

[@vanskii7900]

Rick is who helped me learn a few things along with everyone else who have given me good advice. 🙂

[@kowanmcgarry]

Thank you Rick for helping so many drivers who don’t know how to drive on ice. Neutral and the brake as you said is the safest way to stop your vehicle. Your knowledge is very valuable.

[@smartdrivetest]

Glad to help! All the best, Cheers Rick

[@josiahtitus]

i don’t understand what he’s talking about because i haven’t drove in ice or snow yet, can someone explain what wheels locking up means and how it’s caused and how neutral fixes it

[@smartdrivetest]

Start here my friend: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqOaZHyaj5iZa7M When braking on slippery conditions, you're going to lose traction and skid. Take your foot off the brake, allow the tires to turn, and then reapply the brake. Stop back from where you actually want to stop and then creep up to where you actually want to stop when on snow and ice. Drop us a note if we can help further. Cheers Rick

[@FalloutUrMum]

Just had a scary drive through some snow and ice in Western NC near Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain. My wheels definitely locked up a few times while I was trying to brake. Fortunately I was always able to correct but I didn’t know this trick.

[@smartdrivetest]

Very cool! Glad to hear you're okay my friend. Yes, sliding the transmission into neutral will get rid of all that residual power from the drivetrain and let the brakes do their job. All the best, Cheers Rick

[@iamyou6555]

Wish I knew this advice earlier. 2 years ago I downshifted and my wheels locked up did a 360 spin into Kerb and then into the tree. I’ve got a bit of PTSD driving in this weather now 😅 but Yh now I’ve been using the brakes

[@Sparkymag]

Do you have a more in depth video on this?

[@aravindpadmanabhan]

Interesting shifting to N does not cause the traction control system to fail? I thought N allows free spinning of wheels. Must be different in some cars.

[@wessie73]

Thank you

[@am932]

If you lock the wheels when downshifting, you very likely dont have experience or common sense. Press down firmly on the brake and the abs will activate keeping the wheels from locking up, dont tap repeatedly or ride the brake as the abs wont function correctly. Experienced drivers will use tapping and feathering or downshifting to slow down once they know the points where their truck looses traction. Ive had the best traction conditions driving in snow compared to sand, dirt dry, wet, sand over hard pack, or ice without studded tires. Just as in sand, snow actually slows down the car.

[@smartdrivetest]

Question: if you downshift and hit a patch of ice, how does an experienced driver stop the wheels from locking? That's a serious question. All the best, Cheers Rick

[@am932]

@@smartdrivetest you use chains or studded tires. rarely an experienced driver is not prepared for the route they are driving and when that happens they have to stop. Stoping means losing money.

[@ranamustafa7838]

Oh God.. I love listening to you!!!!

[@smartdrivetest]

Thank you my friend. Cheers Rick

[@micowee6714]

how would the wheels lock up by shifting down a gear?

[@randgrithr7387]

When the gas pedal is not depressed, the engine is being spun by the force of the ground pushing the tires. This is called "engine braking." Using it in combination with the brake pedal to slow creates an uneven braking force acting on the front vs rear tires. You want an even braking force applied to all tires to have the shortest possible braking distance.

[@uu9903]

Idk man, i guess when he changes gears he just drops the clutch or smth.

[@retrobluemusic]

you forgot to say do not slam on the breaks!

[@MARCHALENTA1]

Nice 😊😊

[@iPeter-ky3zs]

in todays world i would bet driving skill esp in wintery conditions has gone way down hill...so best game in town today is likely letting antilock brakes do their job...in the old days pre antilock they would teach you to pump the brakes... back then you would seek out snow covered parking lots and basically do donuts... front drive messed things up unless you had a hand brake to create a slide...but front drive also gave an option to pull out of a sideways slide... ive had truck automatic reardrive positrack 4w and jeep manual all my driving life and ive never needed to downshift the auto...i have downshifted manual jeep in general in snow but you have to know what the downshift is doing that you arent putting enough reduction to make the wheels slide...depends also on whether you happen to be on slippery conditions on downhill id prefer to coast slow in a lower gear...its also kind of instinctive to actually hit the brakes a bit when u first get out in snow and see how slippery it is... anyone remember the blizzard of 77? snowmobiles were organized looking for cars in the ditches...

[@rezamalik9189]

In my opinion, this advise is the exact opposite of how you should maneuver in slippery conditions (ice/snow/hydroplaning).

[@smartdrivetest]

And why is that...what the reason for your opinion? Cheers Rick

[@jonesfarm1836]

Idk I’d rather not kick it into neutral, I would think having it in gear could help some 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@cmlnrowan]

Putting your car in neutral eliminates a fundamental, critical control mode of the vehicle (power) and reduces control options. Really bad advice. Gutsy to post something like that. Almost asking to get sued.

[@smartdrivetest]

And why would you need power when you’re slowing or stopping? Also, if you do need power you just pop it back into “D”. All the best, Cheers Rick

[@cmlnrowan]

How can you possibly know when you might need power? What if the situation changes? What if you need to apply power to avoid a situation? How many drivers can reliably and instantly pop a transmission back into drive in a panic situation? What's the possibility that they pop it into a lower gear and cause a lockup? Never, ever operate your car in neutral. By definition you are literally not in full control of your vehicle if it's in neutral.@@smartdrivetest

[@smartdrivetest]

@cmlnrowan - manual cars are in neutral a lot of the time, or the engine is completely disconnected from the drivetrain via the clutch. And that is why manual cars are superior in winter and other slippery conditions. All the best, Cheers Rick

[@randgrithr7387]

I put my semi truck in neutral to brake when not hauling a trailer. The weight difference between the steer and drive axles already makes friction braking dangerous, adding engine braking to the drive axles only unbalances brake action further.

[@BrandonYRG.]

Most importantly TAP YOUR BRAKES

[@ajlifesolutions7072]

Lol😂mis-information. Are you covered for all the claims for damages?

[@budgetpilgrim]

It's not exactly misinformation newbies who are not expert use the gear down technique because they cannot smartly play on with the brake pedals, in which they have to move very slowly like a snail, but professional and experts plays with the brake pedals in a way like ABS. In which the can move the car at higher speed. I drive regularly in snow terrain which has black ice in most of the areas. While doing down I only use the brake pedal play method by keeping the gear on neutral.

[@Explorewithkayla]

N going downhill ok 👌

[@smartdrivetest]

Going down hill is different my friend. Leave it in gear to go down hill. If you feel the vehicle start to slide, get off the brake and let the tires roll. See this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXTRfJ-lmdGplck Drop us a note if we can help further, or you have questions. All the very best, Cheers Rick

[@voyager11221]

I completely disagree with this. Gearing down or engine braking doesn’t cause the wheel to lock up, it just slows the wheel down by using resistance to spin the engine. Braking is what causes the wheel to lock, esp if not modulated. This video is completely misleading.

[@smartdrivetest]

ABS brakes have been on vehicles for more than 3 decades. And why would you use a $20K drivetrain to save $1K brakes? Gearing down to slow the vehicle on slippery conditions is the same as using cruise control - neither is recommended. Using the drivetrain is OLD practices from the days when brakes were unreliable in the 1950s & 60s. Brakes are now reliable and far superior method for slowing and stopping the vehicle on slippery conditions. All the best, Cheers Rick

[@voyager11221]

@@smartdrivetest your comment is once again full of misconceptions. 1. Engine braking is perfectly fine for your drivetrain as long as you watch the RPMs. 2. Cruise control is completely different since it controls your throttle, shifting, and brakes via a computer. 3. Engine braking is not “old”. It helps you modulate speed and power with more control. That’s why many driving enthusiasts prefer a manual. 4. Once ABS kicks in it means your wheels are already locked up and you’re in a potentially bad situation. Engine braking is a preventative measure. For real I can’t believe you’re an instructor 🤦‍♂️you seem to be missing some basic knowledge.

[@rkr894able]

Putting it on Neutral is the WORST idea tbh.

[@kambermehmed3804]

Never Press Brake in snow never

[@danielnichols7864]

This is false

[@smartdrivetest]

Because…? Cheers Rick

[@Raul.2022]

Aha, da da 😅😅

[@Thalapthy_Vijay-1974]

😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@wedontdrivestock223]

But I drive manual 🥲

[@partymaniac8877]

lol😂😂😂

[@stonejon70]

Well this is wrong

[@smartdrivetest]

How so? Cheers Rick