What Gear To Drive In When It Snows – When To Use High And Low Gears

Driving in the snow can be a seriously tricky task, and millions across the UK are having to deal with it this week as wintry conditions plague the country.

Severe weather warnings have been issued across the UK with London and the South East given an amber warning for today, followed by yellow warnings tomorrow and through Wednesday.

The Met Office also says heavy snow is likely to block roads and cause travel delays, with ‘many stranded vehicles and passengers likely’.

Getting in your car in these conditions can be extremely dangerous, so it is important to drive as safely as possible.

What gear should you use in the snow?

Advice from the RAC says that you should try and move off in second gear and change up to a higher gear as soon as possible once the car is moving.

However, acceleration should be done gently, smoothly and using low revs.

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Ideally, changing gear will be avoided as much as possible, so as you are approaching an uphill, leave as much room in front as possible so you can keep a steady speed and not have to touch the gear stick.

When should I use a low gear?

To avoid braking, use a lower gear when you are going downhill as using the brakes can cause you to lose grip.

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Any gear changing should be done with the utmost care, trying to keep changes smooth and slow.

Remember, when driving in the snow you need to leave much more distance between you and the car in front – as much as 10 times more than you usually would.

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