Before they slide behind the wheel, good winter drivers get into their “winter zone,” which lies somewhere between white-knuckle anxiety and four-wheel-drive hubris.

“Hey, it’s treacherous out there!”

It was my friend Grace, calling to tell me that she could not take her turn car-pooling the kids to school this morning. Looking out the window, I noted an inch or two of fresh snow on the ground, not an uncommon sight during December in Wisconsin — and certainly nothing dramatic for the rest of the neighborhood. But Grace would rather walk two miles to work than get behind the wheel this morning. In fact, Grace is so nervous about winter driving that she may be walking until April.

At least Grace won’t be joining the overconfident SUV drivers, phoning for a tow from the highway median, where they have landed after exceeding both the available traction and their own driving skills. Somewhere between white-knuckle anxiety and four-wheel-drive hubris is the sweet spot of winter driving prowess, the ability to navigate through ice and snow safely and with confidence.

Teaching people to drive in this “winter zone” is the specialty of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. Located in the ski-resort town of Steamboat Springs, Colo., and opening for its 26th season this winter, the school uses three ice-covered tracks lined with soft snowbanks to teach everyday drivers — and professionals such as government agents, stunt drivers, test engineers and racers — to maintain control in challenging conditions.

“Too many people think that quick reactions are required for winter driving,” said school director Mark Cox. “But it’s better to avoid becoming involved in a situation that requires some dramatic correction.”

Cox offers four key tips that anyone can use to become a safe and confident winter driver:

1. Scan the Road Ahead
“If you have to react to road conditions, you’ve already made a mistake,” said Cox. Scanning the road ahead is good advice in any season. But in winter, this habit becomes imperative because it allows you to anticipate trouble and put your vehicle in position to handle the situation without drama. If cars ahead are braking or seem to be swerving, there could be ice on the road, a slick intersection or deer waiting on the shoulder. Snow blowing over the road in the distance could indicate drifting conditions. Consider a challenge posed by changing terrain, such as a steep hill or curves.

“In almost every instance, your best reaction is to start to slow down,” said Cox. “Stopping distances can be increased by four to ten times when ice or snow is on the road. By anticipating, you can slow gradually and under control.”

2. Don’t Rely Too Heavily on Technology
The perception of control afforded by safety technologies such as all-wheel drive and traction/stability control can often get drivers into even more trouble. “All-wheel drive helps you go,” said Cox, “but it does nothing to improve the braking ability of the vehicle on a slick surface. Unfortunately, too many drivers feel invincible once they experience that all-wheel-drive traction pulling them away from a stop and think that translates to everything the car is doing.”

It’s traction that enables a vehicle to go, stop and steer, and by spreading engine power to all four wheels an all-wheel-drive system can improve traction performance on acceleration. But when it’s time to slow down, much of the all-wheel-drive advantage disappears. And because the all-wheel-drive system usually adds weight to an SUV or car, it can actually make it harder to stop. “There’s more mass to the all-wheel-drive vehicle, which can sometimes make it harder to control, especially when its limits have been exceeded” said Cox. “Once all that weight is going sideways, it can be very difficult to correct.”

This feeling of false confidence also holds true for electronic safety technologies such as traction control and stability control. Both can help correct driver errors, but if a vehicle is simply traveling too fast for conditions, it’s going to end up in trouble. Capable as they may be, these technologies do not repeal the laws of physics.

3. Follow the Rule of 1-2-3
Driving on a slick road is like trying to play basketball on a hockey rink. Because your traction is compromised, it’s impossible to make the sudden starts, stops and changes of direction you can accomplish with ease on a dry court. If you were trying to run on a rink, you’d need to accelerate slowly, allow more time to slow down and probably come almost to a stop before you could move to the side. Use this mind-set for winter driving and you’ll avoid a lot of trouble.

At his school, Cox teaches a driving technique designed to make the most of limited traction. “Most of us own a front-wheel-drive car, which means that our two front wheels are doing most of braking, all of the accelerating and all of the steering,” said Cox. “So when roads are slick, you want to use all of the available front-wheel traction for one task at a time. When you need to make a turn, count to three. First, brake to an appropriate speed. Then release the brakes and steer through the turn. And finally, accelerate only after you have completed the turn.”

4. Betrayed by Tired Tires
A generation ago, every driver in the Snowbelt had a set of deep-lugged snow tires mounted right after Thanksgiving. In the age of huge, rear-wheel-drive American sedans and station wagons, you needed that traction to get through the winter. With the advent in the 1980s of front-wheel drive and radial tires, snow tires went out of fashion. Cox says we need to get that traction back. “You must drive within the limits of your equipment,” he said. “And if you are driving in the winter on a set of worn all-season tires, your traction is really compromised. It’s like trying to get through winter with tennis shoes on your feet.”

Winter-rated tires, which can be identified by a mountain/snowflake symbol molded on the sidewall, have a specific tread design, tread depth and pliable rubber compound designed to excel on snow and cold surfaces. According to Cox, a winter-rated tire can offer 33 percent more traction than a tire with a “mud and snow” rating. Many high-performance cars come with summer-only tires that provide tremendous grip on hot, dry pavement, but should be replaced for winter driving.

If you live in a place like Steamboat Springs, investing in a set of winter tires — and you should buy four to balance the traction at each wheel —is an easy decision to make. Drivers living on the fringes of the Snowbelt may be fine on a good set of “all-season” mud- and snow-rated tires. But if you live in between, are winter-rated tires a worthwhile investment?
“I like to point out that the cost of a set of winter tires is almost always cheaper than your insurance deductable,” said Cox. “Take them off in the spring, and most drivers can get two or three seasons from a set of winter tires. And of course you are not wearing out your summer tires as quickly, either.”