A Rocky Mountain Lesson for Driving in the Oklahoma Snow

With what may be Oklahoma's snowstorm of the year looming this coming weekend, I figured now would probably be as good a time as any to offer up some tips for getting around town when and if it hits as hard as predictions say... because no matter what falls from the sky, it'll all become ice across the Sooner State.

While Oklahoma historically gets a fair share of freezing rain, ice, and snow year after year, we don't really get it enough to hone those slippery driving skills. Luckily for you, I came up driving in the Rocky Mountains. Now, as much as I love seeing all the lifted trucks and ego-driven 4x4's on the strugglebus in the ditches, it'd be a lot easier to learn a little something now rather than be forced to offer help in that Oklahoma Standard sort of way.

First and foremost, if you don't absolutely have to get out, don't. We've had a really warm winter so far. The snow will cool the ground off considerably, but before it cools, plenty of it will melt. By the time we do freeze under those forecasted below-zero wind chills, snow won't be the problem, it'll be the ice underneath.

Second, while four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive can be a great help in the snow, they're twice as likely to get you into trouble twice as fast. Spinning out four tires is far worse than spinning out the rear two. You just have to take a moment and cognitively accept that slow is king in snow. You may feel comfortable once you're out there, but that false sense of security in your skills will do you in eventually.

Snow makes everything take longer. Much longer. It'll take longer to warm up the car. Longer to get to your destination. Longer to stop your car when braking. Longer to make the walk inside when you do get where you're going. Plan ahead, take your time, don't be stupid, don't believe yourself when you think "Yeah, I've got this."

Here's the quick rundown on how to drive in the snow.