Safe driving tips in winter conditions from MasterDrive

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Driving through snow and ice is never an easy thing to do, especially if you're not familiar with winter conditions. With snow expected Tuesday night well into Wednesday, KRDO reached out to a local driving school on how to stay safe if you have to be on the roads during a snowstorm.

Roger Lohmeyer, a driver instructor at MasterDrive of Colorado Springs, has more than two decades of experience navigating the winter conditions and says there are some key points drivers should be aware of.

“Aim high, vision is a critical part of keeping yourself safe," Lohmeyer explained. "We always teach to look 12-14 seconds away and usually that means to the top of the next hill and just as far ahead as possible.”

Lohmeyer encourages drivers to leave reaction time between their car and other vehicles on the road. He suggests a space of at least six feet.

He also explained how to handle skidding out.

“If I am in a skid I am going to do five things: I am going to look where I want to go, I am going to steer in that direction, I am not going to give it any gas, I am not going to use the breaks and ideally I am going to use a hand to hand steering technique," Lohmeyer said.

For the hand-to-hand steering technique, Lohmeyer instructed what to do instead of crossing your hands over to steer on the steering wheel:

“In a modern car that hand over hand steering technique can actually be really dangerous. If I cross my arms like this and the airbag deploys my arms will be going straight at my face somewhere between 70 and 220 miles per hour," he said. "We want to make sure we are not subjecting ourselves to that danger as well. So start at 9 and 3 and pass the wheel.”

Besides driving techniques, Lohmeyer said the best way to avoid a disaster on the roadways in less than favorable weather conditions is to be prepared.

That means having items like chains or tire socks to give tires better traction on the roadways.

Lohmeyer also suggests getting a good pair of winter tires on your vehicle. While it's not cheap, he said it could help prevent or much costlier accident and potentially save your life.

For more tips on staying prepared on the road during a snowstorm, click here.