Winter driving can be challenging enough without someone telling you to drive in reverse, but that’s exactly what I’d recommend in the rare situations when forward driving with front-wheel drive won’t cut it.
Admittedly, the idea of driving backwards is a bit weird, but in special circumstances it works better with a front-wheel drive vehicle than it does going forward. Special conditions are deep snow and ascent.
For those of us who live with a steep and long driveway, it can be difficult to make it uphill in deep snow, even with front-wheel drive. Reversing a front wheel drive vehicle can help overcome the difficulty. Here’s why:
- Your drive wheels are lower, so gravity transfers more weight onto them for better traction.
- You have to drive more slowly to maintain directional control, and this tends to enhance traction rather than wheel spin.
- The car’s front wheels are now on compacted snow (thanks to the rear wheels) instead of loose snow, providing additional traction.
- If you feel like you’re going to get a “high position” in deep snow, you can stop and pull forward (downhill) because your drive wheels aren’t in the deep snow yet, so they’ll have better traction. Engine weight and gravity are all in your favor.
So, when winter driving presents you with a challenge such as driving downhill in deep snow, you may be able to pass it by reversing your front wheel drive vehicle.
Only attempt this in situations where your path of travel is relatively straight, there is no traffic to contend with, and there is no ditch or embankment nearby which presents a hazard if you veer off the path slightly while trying to drive in a direction you may not be accustomed to.