How To Drive In Ice & Snow

It finally happened, the first dusting of snow appeared this week in the Albuquerque metro area, and in true New Mexico fashion, it melted within hours. Melloy Dodge wants to take this opportunity to remind our community about safe driving habits when there is snow and ice on the roads. It’s important to know your limits, what driving conditions you prefer to stay away from, and if the risk of driving in those conditions is worth it. 

• Drive Smoothly: This means applying gentle and deliberate pressure to the brake, the gas, and the wheel. 
• Plan Ahead: You are likely driving a route you often take, which can be used to your advantage. Consider all the roads you take, and if you think one may be more dangerous to take in snow and ice conditions, plan by changing your route.
• Read the Road: Does the road look shiny or dull? Are there bare spots, or is there a pretty uniform layer of snow? What’s the temperature- is it cold enough to keep the ground frozen, or is it warm enough for a slushy-like consistency? In general, shiny is bad- meaning ice or water. Dry spots on pavement can lead to a false sense of security, meaning you could assume better traction and let your guard down. 
• Constantly Assess Traction: Areas within the metro see more snow than other parts, and depending on the length of your drive, it’s best to assess your traction constantly. Here at Melloy Dodge, we say it’s better to be more prepared than unprepared, which applies well to driving in the snow. 
• Emergency Driving Kit: When cooler weather hits, we recommend that your winter emergency driving kit be loaded in your car for winter weather emergencies. If you are unsure about what goes into that kit, you can view our previous blog about it here. 

For more driving safety recommendations, you can visit our previous blog, where we went in-depth about things to do when driving in snow and icy conditions. If you haven’t considered snow tires and the benefit they can have if you travel along snow-packed roads often, you can also read about snow tires here. Melloy Dodge hopes everyone’s winter driving season is safe and that these tips help to keep you and your loved ones safe.