Four-wheel drive cars are clearly superior in terms of maneuverability in harsh winter conditions, and they are also less likely to skid or skid on slippery surfaces.
That four-wheel drive is the choice for those who want to ride safely in winter may therefore seem obvious, but according to statistics from Folksam, this is not necessarily the case.
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Greater risk of accidents
In fact, studies have according to Folksy instead showed that the accident risk increases by 20 to 30 percent if a car is four-wheel drive instead of two-wheel drive.
It is not that the four-wheel drive car has poorer control on slippery surfaces, but rather that the slippage is not as obvious to the driver. The studies also show that four-wheel drive cars tend to crash at a 10 percent higher speed.
– Four-wheel drive of course provides better propulsion in winter road conditions, but at the same time can mislead road users into not sensing slippage as well. This can lead to people instead driving faster than the road conditions allow and thus increasing the risk of accidents, says Anders Ydenius, traffic researcher at Folksam.
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Urges caution
The tip for those who drive a four-wheel drive car is therefore not necessarily to immediately switch to two-wheel drive, but rather to be aware that it is easier to miss how slippery the road actually is.
Folksam also provides some additional tips to make the sports holiday trip safe, such as making sure the car is running on real winter tires, and making sure to slow down and avoid overtaking.
Anders Ydenius also emphasizes the importance of packing correctly, to avoid overloading and loose objects flying in the event of a crash. This also applies to the roof box.
Anyone who drives an electric car is also advised to have good margins in terms of range, not least as both cooling and the roof box can affect the range drastically.
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