Around here, a day (4 hours) at "slippery tracks" was compulsory training for getting my driver's license. That track (expoxy with water) is more slippery than most surfaces you'll ever encounter in the winter - think a skating field with water on it and no winter tires. But no play - hard practice: Stop the car as fast as you can without spinning, going through curves at higher and higher speeds until you slip and then manage that skid and so on. The contents of the course has probably shifted a bit with the introduction of modern electronics into the car, but the basic idea is the same.

The funny thing - the effect of that course is highly debated. It focuses on mastering the situation. It makes (some) males feel overly confident and thus taking more chances.


Safe winter driving is not really all that much about how to control a skid - it is about reducing speed so you not only avoid that skid, but have the ability to stop or steer away from anything unexpected, such as a car or a person blocking the lane.

Of course, if you're lucky enough to have proper race track training (I'm a bit envious here then you will have learned a lot of the same things.


And I must say that proper winter tires really does make ALL the difference in the world. Really. But even with winter tires, conditions are some times simply so bad your options are extremely limited. Drive accordingly.