Most of the things here I have learned the easy way—someone else’s mistakes. A few I learned the hard way, which is always the most thorough learning. It will be obvious that some of these were learned from a fairly compulsive friend.

1. When it is snowing nothing is more effective at making sure you get where you are going as slowing down. This is more effective than four wheel drive, more effective than snow tires at all four corners, more effective than anything. As an added bonus you will arrive where you are going less tired.

2. The last thing to do when you park is to wash your windshield. The car is warm and you won’t get an ice film after the alcohol evaporates from the windshield washer fluid. This is especially important when leaving work in the evening into other cars’ headlights.

3. Which leads to the obvious: Keep your windshield washer fluid level up.

4. Keep a couple of paper towels in your coat pocket to give the headlights a quick wipe as you walk to the car.

5. Keep your keys in your pocket or purse until you get to the car. The only thing worse than slipping on ice and losing your keys in a snow bank is slipping on ice and losing your keys in a storm drain. And the kids learn bad language.

6. If you do drop your keys in the snow, wipe the ignition key dry before putting it in the ignition. Being in the car and unable to start it because the ignition lock is frozen puts a crimp in your day. And the kids learn more bad language.

7. Four snow tires. My wife’s Subaru has four snows and all wheel drive and when the weather turns to dog poop I expect her to be the last car still moving. This issue is less about getting traction to get going than it is about traction for stopping. The last test I saw found that snow tires stopped 30% shorter on snow than all-season tires did. I promise that you would much rather stop at an intersection and get bonked from behind by somebody in a Buick who couldn’t stop than to slide into the intersection and get T-Boned by some guy in an F-150 pickup who had a green light.

8. Always park facing out of the parking spot. A) Trying to back out into mall traffic with a van on one side and an SUV on the other leaves you blind for fifteen feet; B) If you come out to a dead battery it is much easier for someone to help you if you can easily get to the battery (you do have jumper cables, don’t you?); C) It is simpler to see out the windshield when maneuvering than to see out the rear window; D) Traffic visibility. Vehicles and people and especially small children are more easily seen out the front than out the back.

9. When snow is expected while he is parked, the compulsive guy says to park towards the front of the parking space. When you leave, back up as far as you can—even three feet helps—and get a short running start. I was surprised at how well this works at getting going smoothly.

Yeah, I know: How could anyone be so anal? They are all simple, they all work, and they are all pretty much stuff to do rather than stuff to buy. I am a little reluctant to recommend #7 for everyone, especially in marginal snow areas. #1 will usually take care of that situation.

"...slowing down..."

That one works in all types of weather!!!

Yes, yes, yes and yes: Dammit

But that would require people to actually think about what they were doing instead of just putting their foot on the gas pedal.

JUST SLOW DOWN!
And if the weather is crap, just wait.
I was raised northern.
Better to hunker down, and make a phone call or two,...
...when the gales of November come early, sit still until they blow over..

Amen for the slow down.

There are many times I'm reluctant to drive in the snow, not because I don't know how to, but because many others DON'T!

After Seattle's last snow/ice problem, I noticed that the freeway dividers have a lot more dents in them than they did before.

But one thing was a puzzle to me: once in a while there is a person with a flat tire, but during the snows, there were LOTS of people with flat tires. Just coincidence?

Sue

Cold temperatures can cause tires to lose air pressure so it's not surprising that you noticed more flats.

I suspect that when the dreaded white stuff covers the ground, more people tend to slide sideways into curbs/whatevers, thereby breaking the bead and flattening their tire...

Yay, I get to practice driving in the snow AGAIN TODAY!!!! Honestly, this is getting old...minimum of 3" a week, since November...we've gone over 50" so far this year..our average is 43. And, we still have 2 months of winter!!!

Man, some of the drivers in MD could have used this thread this morning. We got about 2", and people were going nuts! I saw several accidents in my 17 miles of commute, and a couple people tried really hard to drive into me. There was a Jeep who cut in front of me. It was not enough space for a dry-pavement day, and no blinker. And he had FD plates! He should know better...
I also saw someone else try to pull out into traffic like the pavement was dry. Then everyone in 2 lanes of traffic on a 55 MPH road had to stop to let this idiot straighten out his car and then slowly get up to speed. Morons...

Frozen door locks : keep a small bottle of lock de-icer in your pocket.

Tires: Mud & Snow tires are not necessarily ice tires. All- season tires are definitely not for winter. Check this article : http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/at_011101.htm

Windshield washer liquid : get the -20°F type

Windows fogging inside : Keep the car floor as dry as possible and crack the windows at all time.