In many parts of the country, winter weather can be life-threating if you need to step out of your vehicle. Assume you will need to be out of the vehicle, so have warm clothing and gloves in the trunk. Depending on where you live, you need to assess what tires you need: All-season or Winter tires? You should at least have All-season tires, which have a tread designed to give you better traction in wet and snow conditions. For snowy areas, Winter tires are a good alternative -- here you should have a full set of Winter tires and a full set of All-season tires. Note that there are restrictions on the use of steel studded tires. Find out from your local Department of Transportation and see your tire dealer for proper selection and installation of winter tires on your vehicle. Four-wheel or All-wheel drive vehicles help you get out of snow better, but they do not improve driving or stopping on ice or snow conditions. So keep the following in mind:

• Avoid sudden movements. Turn gradually, accelerate gently, and go easy on the brakes. These are ways to maintin good traction and avoid spinning out of control.

• If your vehicle has an anti-lock brakes (ABS), apply steady pressure to the brakes and turn in the direction of the skid. Don't pump the brakes.

• If you get stuck in snow, don't spin your wheels too fast; doing so loses traction. Rock your vehicle gently back and forth. Do this carefully to avoid transmission problems.

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