DENVER — If you're new to Colorado, driving in the snow can be a scary situation.
First Gear Skid School in Brighton offers classes to teach drivers how to navigate various road conditions, including how to drive in the snow.
9NEWS reporter Matt Renoux graduated from the course, and is sharing some of the tips he learned:
- First, remember to go slow. This is the basic gist of driving in wet or icy conditions
- Always allow plenty of room between you and the car in front of you. This gives you more time to react if the car in front of you slides or must brake suddenly.
- Brake before taking a turn, even if your hydraulic system is set for ice. This all seems basic until you’re late for work or in a rush.
- Normally, drivers should try to leave three seconds of space between their car and the car in front of them, but in winter driving counting out 10 seconds of space will give you more time to react and avoid sliding into an accident.
- No matter the circumstances, try to go at a lower speed or you may find yourself out of control.
If you’re new to driving in snow, you may not know about snow tires. The important thing there is not to drive with a bald tire or slick tires, which can make spinning out easier.
If you still don’t feel all the way comfortable, make a trip to a snow driving school. There you can get accustomed to what driving in the snow feels like and what to do when something goes wrong.
RELATED: Is your vehicle ready for the snow?
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