Driving around in the snow is tricky enough, but making the wrong move at the wrong time can turn it into a life-threatening disaster.
That’s exactly what happened to Michelle Panting, a Marketing and Communications Specialist for Peg City Car Co-Op.
In her video, which has amassed over 233,200 views posted to the ride-sharing service’s official TikTok account, @pegcitycarcoop, Panting shared a winter driving tip that, in her words, “might just save your life.”
How not to drive on icy roads
Panting began by explaining she learned to drive in rural Manitoba, where highway driving is the norm—even for beginners.
One winter, she was driving her boyfriend’s car back home on an icy, snow-covered highway when they hit black ice.
“The car starts to swerve, and I panic, and I put my foot on the brake,” she said.
Bad move. “Those of you who know know what happened next,” Panting continued.
The car spun. Not once, not twice, but three full times.
“The car goes one, two, three spins, full 360 spins around on the other side of the road,” she said, explaining this was a two-lane highway with one lane in each direction.
“We were lucky. There were no cars around,” Panting stated.
Afterward, she said she instinctively tried to correct the situation, steering back to the right side of the road while her boyfriend yelled in confusion. She pulled onto the shoulder, finally safe.
And then she started laughing.
“When you’re coursing with adrenaline, it almost feels fun. It almost feels like being on a roller coaster and, like, we didn’t die,” she said.
Her boyfriend wasn’t as amused.
What to do if you hit ice while driving, according to Panting
“If you hit a patch of ice and you feel the vehicle start to swerve, don’t put your foot on the brake,” Panting said. “Don’t put your foot on the gas. Take both feet off, look in the direction, and steer in the direction you want to go.”
She added that it’s important not to overcorrect. Keep your hands steady on the wheel.
She also warned against using cruise control in icy conditions. If the vehicle starts skidding, cruise control might automatically accelerate, making things worse.
“I didn’t die,” she said. “I hope you don’t either.”
What do experts say?
Experts agree that staying calm and avoiding sudden movements are key when driving on icy roads.
According to CRS Automotive, for example, it’s important to avoid forceful braking or sudden, jerking movements of the wheel while driving in snow or ice.
If your car starts to skid, it advises taking your foot off the brake and the gas and steering gently in the direction you want to go. Overcorrecting can make the situation worse, just as Panting’s experience illustrated.
Using cruise control in winter conditions is also discouraged.
The Cincinnati Enquirer points out that while cruise control helps maintain a steady speed under normal conditions, it can be unsafe on slippery roads caused by rain, snow, or ice.
The system may not react quickly enough to changes in road conditions, which increases the risk of skidding or losing control.
@pegcitycarcoop Learn from my mistake as a learning driver. If you start to skid on the ice in the winter, DON’T DO THIS!! #creatorsearchinsights #pegcitycarcoop #winterdriving #winnipegmanitoba #drivingtips ♬ original sound – Peg City Car Co-op 🇨🇦
Commenters provide additional tips
In the comments section, viewers shared additional tips on how to survive the winter weather while driving.
“I’m shocked this hasn’t been said in the comments: PUT IT IN NEUTRAL!” advised one user. “No gas, no brakes, no pumping anything. Flip the car to neutral and drive. once you regain control, put it back in drive.”
“Also please y’all, don’t follow so close in slippery conditions, you need extra breaking distance!” wrote another. “And please turn your lights on when it’s snowy or dark out!!! Stay safe out there.”
“Also… idk why this isn’t obvious but TAPPING YOUR BRAKES is so important in the winter and i see so many people who clearly just never got in the habit of it even tho it’s taught,” offered a third.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Michelle Panting via contact form and Peg City Co-Op via TikTok direct message.
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