Pearl has been teaching people how to drive safely in the snow for 18 years. Not just any people, either. Pearl has also taught members of state and city police forces from across the country. If you live in a snowy region, other schools likely exist in your area. That means snow tires or chains in extreme conditions.
Slippery roads make every mistake happen faster and more dramatically.
And don't think antilock brakes, stability systems or other vehicle control mechanisms will help you if you're sliding, Pearl warns. If you're going too fast, you're going to go off the road and nothing's going to change that. Not only should you be aware of road ice and other slippery conditions, but you should also double the distance you normally allow between you and the car in front of you. An easy calculation for this distance is four car lengths for every 10 mph you are traveling. That means if you are doing 40 mph, you should leave 16 car lengths between you and the vehicle ahead.