Winter is almost upon us. Here in Colorado, that means a familiar set of cold-weather thrills: skiing, snowboarding and sledding, plus thousands of motorists careening into hapless fellow drivers like an army of Ice Capades rejects.

As the snail said when he rode on the back of the turtle: Wheee!

The Colorado State Patrol reported 5,337 accidents in 2011 that occurred in snowy or icy conditions.

But some basic driving skills — plus a nice, warm cup of common sense — can lessen the risks of winter travel, paving the way to the season's subtler pleasures, such as spending 15 minutes scraping ice from your windshield only to discover your battery is dead.

MasterDrive teaches students on a skidplate that replicates icy conditions (hence the toppled cones).
MasterDrive teaches students on a skidplate that replicates icy conditions (hence the toppled cones). (Mark Stolberg, Master Drive)

Being a successful driver on snow and ice calls for a return to some of the basics of driver's ed classes: Avoid sudden stops, starts and lane changes.

Pay attention to your surroundings, watch out for the other driver, concentrate and avoid distractions — this means you, cellphone users ferrying carloads of kids and big, wet Labrador retrievers.

Practice also helps.

Motoring demands motor skills. Like a sport, you can read about it all you want, but to really learn it you have to get in the game.

"It's really all about winterizing your driving skills as well as your car," says Mark Stolberg, vice president of training at MasterDrive, a school with four Colorado locations. "When it comes to how your car handles, winter is a real transition from what we're used to in summer."

The crucial difference, of course, is traction.

Stolberg urges drivers to think in terms of "available" traction. If dry pavement represents 100 units of traction and wet pavement represents 60, snow translates into 20-30 units of traction. Ice is 20.

"If you're trying a 70-unit maneuver when there's only 20 units available, the car will slide," Stolberg says. "It doesn't matter what the car's equipped with. That flies in the face of a lot of advertising, but traction is provided by the road surface, and no button inside a car will change that."

At MasterDrive, a three-hour course that costs $149 will teach students and seasoned drivers how to maneuver on a skid pad, which creates a hydroplane that will cause a car to swerve in the requisite hog-on-ice fashion.

Drivers learn "threshold braking," a technique long used by race-car drivers that takes the vehicle up to, but not beyond, the point where the brakes lock up. With practice, drivers can find that point through the feel of the pedal.

It stops the car in about half the distance as the traditional brake-pumping method, and is worth learning even if drivers have ABS braking systems in their vehicles.

Drivers also need to keep greater distance between cars in slick conditions. Try to keep at least twice the distance between vehicles as you would in dry conditions.

If your vehicle does skid, steer in the direction the car's rear end is traveling to recover traction and straighten out.

Smooth stops and starts are also important. Being too quick on the accelerator will send the car skidding as quickly as jamming the brakes.

Good snow tires are also important.

"You wouldn't go golfing in bowling shoes and you wouldn't go bowling in golfing shoes," Stolberg says.

Today's snow tires all use a rubber compound that allows the tread to stay sticky in freezing weather, the better to grab the road.

"Tire technology is constantly changing, so buy the most updated ones you can find," Stolberg says.

But common sense might be the most important part of the winter-driving equation. Drivers must be aware of conditions and adapt to them.

"You have to adapt to the environment," Stolberg says. "That's a must. Physics is physics."

And the Colorado State Patrol offers some sage advice of its own: If it's really bad out, try and stay home.

No one ever slid into a ditch in their living room. or 303-627-4447; Bridgestone Winter Driving School at 800-WHY-SKID or 970-879-6102 or

William Porter: 303-954-1877, or

Pack your vehicle for the winter season

A properly outfitted vehicle is important during the snow and ice season, whether you're driving in the mountains or city.

Here is a list of things to keep on hand when you hit the road.

Ice scraper: You never know when you'll face an iced-over windshield. Long-handled models are best.

Flashlight: Let there be light, especially if you're stranded with a dead battery.

Sustenance: Keep some granola bars and bottled water on hand. Nobody wants to be a 21st-century Alfred Packer.

First-aid kit: Along with the standard stuff, you might include a pill case if you're on any medications.

Blanket: If you're stuck, a thick wool or heat-returning thermal blanket can save your life.

Car cellphone charger: Keep your phone charged at all times during the winter.

Wiper fluid: Always keep a spare gallon on hand.

Flares: If you have to pull over in a bad storm or have driven into a ditch, these will alert people to your presence.

Can with a candle: This can work as a mini-heater in your car if you get stuck. Pack 5-6 votive candles and a soup can. (Yes, a clean one.)