LIVINGNervous to Drive in the Snow? Inside Ford's Commitment to Keeping Everyone Safe in the Tough Winter Months
Here are all the tips you need to know before you drive into the snow — and how Ford's vehicles are keeping people safe.
March 7 2025, Published 9:07 a.m. ET
Driving in the winter isn't for everyone — but it can be!
Whether you live in a snowy climate or by the beach, it's important to know how to stay safe when driving in inclement weather, which is why Ford is the perfect car to get, as their commitment to safety is unmatched.
Ford's cars are meant to handle the snow.
"Driving safely in winter conditions involves balancing three elements: acceleration, braking and steering. The tires can commit their full potential to only one of those at a time, otherwise they must split their capability between steering and either braking or accelerating, doing neither as well in combination as could be done alone. Ie, if you need to prioritize getting around an obstacle, you’ll need to release the brake to allow the front tires to apply all their effort to steering the car," Anthony Magagnoli, Off-Road & Trailer Tow Attributes Engineer, Ford, exclusively tells OK! about some tips to be aware of while on the road.
'Weight transfer greatly impacts the available traction at either end of the car,' Anthony Magagnoli said.
"Weight transfer greatly impacts the available traction at either end of the car. Lifting off the throttle or lightly braking will transfer weight to the front, improving grip there (reducing understeer). Likewise, if grip is needed in the rear, releasing the brake, or lightly applying throttle will transfer weight rearward, improving rear grip to help recover a slide (oversteer). Note that, if grip is increased at one end of the car, it’s reduced at the other, so don’t overdo it," he adds of some of the best tips to stay safe.
If you're driving the Mustang Mach-E Rally in the snow and ice, that vehicle is "equipped with winter-focused Michelin Cross Climate two tires, and is tuned for both on-and off-road," Magagnoli notes. "In addition to its protective aluminum underbody shield, the Mustang Mach-E Rally has a RallySport drive mode that optimizes the power distribution, accelerator pedal response, suspension damping, traction control, and stability control for better performance while traveling on diverse surfaces like snowy and icy roads. Note that this is a performance-oriented drive mode that hands more control to the driver, allowing them to manipulate the car more as they wish, while still providing a safety net to limit ultimate slip."
"The Mustang Mach-E Rally has 480 hp and 700 foot pounds of torque available, so a judicious pedal application should be used when driving on-road in low traction situations. For a secure driving experience that limits the slip the most, Whisper drive mode would be recommended," he says.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Most of Ford's vehicles 'utilize active all-wheel drive controls.'
Ultimately, most of Ford's vehicles "utilize active all-wheel drive controls," Magagnoli states. "This means that the systems do not have to wait for the vehicle to slip before transferring power where needed. They are monitoring speed, acceleration and driver inputs to put the power where it’s needed. This makes for the most predictable handling, which provides the driver with the most confidence and performance to negotiate tough winter driving conditions."
Additionally, with International Women's Day coming up on Saturday, March 8, Ford shared real quotes from their women drivers who trust their electric vehicles in the rough winter months.
Driving safely in winter conditions involves balancing three elements: acceleration, braking and steering.
"My office is 60 miles from my house and I drive average about 700 miles a week and have complete faith in the car and because it has such a low very even center of gravity (battery weight) it performs brilliantly in bad weather. My favorite feature has to be the heated seats — as a photographer my back is beaten up almost daily and its a lifesaver but also helps save battery when I don’t have anyone else in the car so I don’t have to turn on the heat otherwise," Amanda Stevens, who is from New Jersey and a Mach-E Girls Club Member, tells OK!.
