1. Clear snow and ice from your vehicle

Before you start driving, make sure you clean all windows, mirrors, lights and even the roof. Wait for foggy windows to clear up so you can see properly through all sides of the vehicle.

2. Slow down

This might seem obvious, but people usually don’t slow down enough when driving in snowy, rainy or slippery conditions. Don’t let other people pressure you into going faster than you’re comfortable with. Stay in the right lane and let faster drivers pass you. And give yourself extra travel time so you’re not tempted to speed.

3. Leave more space between cars

In bad conditions, leave two car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you. Black ice is nearly impossible to spot until it’s too late.

4. Learn to brake in an emergency

Let your vehicle’s anti-lock braking system (ABS) do its job. ABS will allow you to steer your vehicle even while applying the brakes fully. For older cars without ABS brakes, it’s best to pump the brakes instead of letting your car skid, which gives you better steering control. If you have the choice, pick a car equipped with ABS, VSC (vehicle stability control) and traction control — these newer technologies make winter driving much safer.

5. Avoid skidding

How your vehicle responds to skidding depends on whether or not it has rear-wheel, front-wheel or four-wheel drive. Generally, the best way to keep from sliding and losing control is to slow down well before any turn — not during the turn. You can always speed up in the turn if you feel you’re going too slow. Even careful and experienced drivers can skid, so be prepared. Skidding can be caused by panic braking when you’re trying to avoid an obstacle on the road. To reduce skidding in bad weather, you should:

• slow down. Allow extra travel time and be very careful when you brake, change lanes, make turns, and take curves
• put more distance between you and the vehicle in front of you
• avoid forceful braking or sudden, jerking movement of the wheel
• read the owner’s manual to learn about your vehicle’s braking system and tire traction

If the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) comes on, this means your vehicle is trying to prevent skidding and loss of control. Slow down and drive more cautiously. ESC is standard equipment on vehicles manufactured from 2012 onwards. When the vehicle begins to skid, ESC applies the brakes to one or more wheels, or reduces engine power, or both, to help keep the vehicle under control. If you get stuck, turn off your ESC.

In extreme weather don’t use cruise control. Don’t rely on other driver assistance technologies, like blind spot monitoring or lane keeping assistance, as they may not work in bad weather. Review your owner’s manual to understand the systems’ abilities and limits.

6. Keep things smooth

When driving in snow, never jerk the steering wheel or slam on the brakes. Smooth driving will keep your vehicle on the road.

7. Be visible

Even during the daytime, use your headlights in bad conditions to ensure you’re seen. During a heavy snowfall, high beams may make visibility worse; if you have fog lights, use them in conjunction with your low beams.

8. Keep your gas tank full

A full gas tank adds extra weight to your vehicle, which can help slow it down.

9. Have your car winter ready

Make sure your car is ready for the conditions with good winter tires, brakes, a strong battery, good windshield wipers and clean fluids

Also make sure that the  ignition system, windshield wipers and mirrors are working properly. Finally, don’t forget to check the lighting: this is an essential parameter, so you can see and be seen, especially when it snows.

10.Safe braking

Proper braking is important to safe winter driving. Since it takes longer to stop on a slippery road, you should:

• leave more distance than normal between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you
• pay close attention to the road – as far ahead as you can
• make sure that you don’t release the brake pedal when the vehicle is out of control. Focus on steering with the brake pedal applied hard

11. Keep a car winter kit

In case things go wrong and you find yourself stranded on the road, ensure you have a winter kit, which can include thermal blankets, first-aid kit, matches, road flares, booster cables, a snow brush, water and a charged cell phone. Having roadside assistance a phone call away is also a good idea.As well as a scraper to remove the frost, and a rake to remove the snow in case it piles up on the road.

 12.Respect the signs