Why it easier to drive on fresh snow vs snow that has already been driven over?
In: Physics
Driving in snow has a lot of factors.
To answer the immediate question, snow that’s been driven on has been compacted into a layer of ice. With pressure from the weight of the vehicle, the tires cause the ice to melt very slightly, forming a thin and very slippery film of water.
However, depending on conditions, the ice may be rough enough for tires to still catch traction. It also depends on the material your tires, the tread pattern, how worn your tires are. The vehicle size plays a part. The heavier the vehicle, your tires may get better grip. However, the heavier the vehicle, the more momentum plays in when stopping or turning. Some vehicles do better in heavy wet snow, some do better in light fluffy snow. Temperature plays a huge factor. Closer to freezing makes that film of water easier to form, but really cold temperatures affect the road treatments.
Finally, the human factor. You can have the best 4WD vehicle with the best tires out there, but you can be an idiot behind the wheel and still end up in the ditch. Driving skills and knowing your vehicle is the biggest factor in winter driving.
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