5 myths about winter driving debunked
INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 30, 2015) – We all want to stay safe in the snow, but there are a lot of rumors about how to do that. So, we met up with Jynx Jenkins from the Drive Zone Driving School to debunk five myths of winter driving.
Jenkins told us some of these tricks may work, but they are only tricks–they may work, they may not. The consensus from the experts we talked to is that the best way to stay safe is to give yourself extra time and be aware of your surroundings.
#1: Under inflate your tires for better traction
DEBUNKED: "That would be a wrong thing to do. When you make a turn on dry pavements with under-inflated tires then you're basically shifting the cars weight right and left," said Jenkins.
#2: If you skid, put your car in neutral
DEBUNKED: "Eventually without brakes and without the accelerator you're going to get out of that skid. And when you get out of that skid and you're finally going straight that's when you need the accelerator. If you're still stuck in neutral it's not going to help you any," said Jenkins.
#3: Warm up your car for better performance
DEBUNKED: Jenkins says YOU will perform better with a warm car, but most modern cars are designed with a higher tolerance for cold. They do not need to warm up for long periods of time like years ago.
#4: All wheel drive is invincible
DEBUNKED: "It gives you a false perception. Imagine icy roads, something happens and you hit the brake. Now you have all four wheels locked. When your wheels are locked, especially in the front then you have no steering," said Jenkins.
#5: When driving in the snow, drive in the groove of other drivers
DEBUNKED: "Snow, when it's backed down by vehicles, and you see the groove in the snow, if you follow that groove you're actually riding on ice. Because that is packed down into ice," said Jenkins.
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