Safe Winter Driving Tips from Jim Russell Racing Drivers School

SONOMA, Calif.--Nov. 1, 20037, 2003--The leading cause of death during winter months is transportation accidents, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Yet most Americans have never received training for safe winter weather driving.

The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School in Sonoma, Calif., offers the following helpful instructions as part of its safe driving course curriculum.

    Car & Driver Dos and Don'ts

    1. Don't try to stretch more miles from your tires during the
        winter.

    2. Keep tires inflated to the designated pressure (PSI number on
        tire). Under-inflated tires can cause a car to react more
        slowly to steering and overheat.

    3. Winter snow tires are superior to all-season mud & snow tires
        in snowy conditions.

    4. Test you brakes in snowy conditions with no other cars nearby
        so you'll know how the vehicle will react in braking
        situations.

    Skid & Spin Control

    1. Focus on where you want to go, and your hands will follow on
        the wheel. Looking where the car is skidding can cause you to
        steer in that direction, causing a spin-out.

    2. In a skid, keep your foot off the brake and the accelerator,
        steer until you regain control.

    3. Once you've recovered from the skid, gently apply the brakes:
        skids turn into spin-outs when the driver applies the brakes
        too hard.

    4. If you're in a full spin-out, apply the brakes hard to slow
        down the car. Pumping the brakes will cause the car to "float"
        in multiple directions during the spin. (Hit the clutch and
        brakes simultaneously in a manual transmission car).

    5. If you're behind someone skidding, continue driving straight
        forward and slow down safely; don't attempt to pass.

About Jim Russell Racing Drivers School

For more than four decades, the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School has been dedicated to teaching true racing techniques to professional drivers and people looking for the experience of a lifetime. The school offers professional auto racing instruction, more seat time and the most powerful, well-maintained race cars of any driving school. The school, based in Sonoma, Calif., is located at Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point Raceway), known as the best teaching track in the country.