I was out driving around in the snow yesterday and saw quite a few accidents. The conditions were not particularly bad, but the carnage was. Winter driving does not have to be so difficult. Here is a few tips: 1) BUY WINTER TIRES! I can't stress this one enough. All-seasons mean all the seasons that don't include snow. This applies to those with 4-wheel drive too. Accidents rarely happen because you couldn't get up a hill or out of a ditch... they happen because you can't stop or steer. Tires are the single most important performance and safety component on your car. I encourage you to spend $500 and get a set of dedicated winter tires & rims. I just got a set for my friend's car... they were delivered mounted and balanced and it only took about 20 minutes to install them. 2) Be smooth and stay in control. Traction with respect to acceleration is discontinuous. Attempt to accelerate (speeding up or down, or steering) too quickly and you will experience this discontinuity as a near complete loss of traction. By being smooth you are less likely to provoke a slide and you will be able to maintain control. This doesn't mean you should drive like grandma... 3) Be Proactive. To adhere to tip #2 you need to avoid situations that would require rapid changes in speed or direction. Keep an eye on all your fellow drivers. Going slower than traffic is a bad idea... It is difficult to keep track of drivers that are overtaking you, and to maintain your "personal space". It's better to travel a little faster to find an open spot in traffic where you have some escape options. 4) Be wary of mixed conditions. Pyschology and physics combine to produce a very dangerous mix when the conditions are variable. Since they aren't sliding all over, drivers start driving like the conditions are perfect... when they hit a patch of snow they are unprepared. Even worse is getting only one wheel in the snow. A car will often react violently in these situations, snapping into a spin, or steering off the road, etc. This is why you see so many accidents with a car smashed into ditches or guardrails. There is little the driver can do once in such a situation, so avoid them. 5) If you can, practice. Find a snowy, desserted parking lot and slide around. See how long it takes to stop from various speeds (you might be surprised.) Get a sense for what if feels like right before the tires stop rolling and start sliding. You can learn to tell when the tires are at their limit. 6) This is the easiest: Stay the hell home.