Driving Lessons in Winter: Why Edmonton Learners Should Start Now

Driving lessons in winter give Edmonton learners something a summer course cannot: real ice, real snow and short days. Many people wait for spring, so their first winter alone at the wheel is also their first winter driving. Starting now turns that around. Here is what you gain, what alberta.ca says about tires, braking and kit, and when a Winter Driving Package helps.

Why start driving lessons in winter

Every Edmonton driver meets winter roads at some point. The only question is who is beside you the first time. So anyone looking for a snowy driving school should ask: will an instructor be there when the car first slides? In a lesson, yes, and your instructor talks you through it. That turns the first skid into a lesson instead of a scare.

Summer lessons teach you the rules, the turns and the parking. Winter adds the feel of grip. You learn how the car tells you a tire is slipping, and how little steering it takes to fix it. Think of it as winter drivers training folded into the course you already need.

Low light counts too. Winter days are short, and we teach until 8:00 pm, so some lessons run after dark. You practise with headlights on so drivers behind see your taillights, as the province's winter driving tips advise.

Winter tires: what alberta.ca recommends

Alberta does not require winter tires by law. The Government of Alberta's winter tires sheet says Alberta Transportation recommends four winter or all-weather tires in severe winter conditions.

All tire rubber stiffens in the cold. Winter tires keep their grip at temperatures approaching minus 30 degrees Celsius and below. Their deep treads grip better on snow and ice. Look for the peaked mountain and snowflake symbol. All-weather tires carry it too and wear more slowly in summer than winter tires do.

The sheet gives no calendar date for fitting them. An older Alberta Transportation tire guide gives one number: all-season rubber may start to harden below 7 degrees Celsius. Take that as your cue, and have four on before severe winter driving.

The tips also say to winterize the car: check the tires, spare, battery, belts, hoses, antifreeze, brakes, heater, defroster and windshield wipers. Keep the gas tank more than half full in case you are stranded.

Braking and following distance on ice and snow

The province's winter driving tips keep this part plain.

1. Slow down. Posted speed limits are set for ideal conditions, and drivers are legally required to drive to the conditions.
2. Leave at least three times your normal following distance on wet or slick surfaces. Stay back from snowplows until they let you pass.
3. Know your brakes and how they react on ice. Be gentle with them, avoid braking on curves, and gear down for hills.
4. Avoid sudden moves. Abrupt steering or slamming on the brakes can spin the car.
5. If you skid, take your foot off the brake and steer where you want to go. When the wheels grip again, brake firmly and smoothly.
6. Never use cruise control in winter conditions. On snowy roads, try driving outside the previous tire tracks for extra traction.

Driving lessons in snow put every one of these into your hands, at low speed, on a road your instructor has chosen. That is winter driving training: hear the rule, then feel the car take longer to slow.

Before you drive: 511 Alberta and the kit

Check 511 Alberta first

511 Alberta is a free traveller information service run by the Government of Alberta. Its map shows whether a highway is bare, partly or fully covered in snow or ice, not recommended for travel, or closed. Use 511.alberta.ca, the app for iOS and Android, or dial 511 toll-free within Alberta. Check it before every lesson and every solo drive.

Alberta.ca also says to stay off the road during winter storms unless travel is necessary. If roads are closed, do not travel at all. Before you move, clear all snow and ice off the windows, mirrors, lights and licence plate.

What goes in the car

The province asks every driver to carry an emergency road kit. Its list has fifteen items.

• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher
• Blanket
• Road map and compass
• Extra clothing and footwear
• Paper towel or rags
• Sand, road salt or non-clumping kitty litter
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Emergency food that will not spoil, such as granola bars, nuts or chocolate
• Ice scraper and snowbrush
• Cell phone
• Candle in a deep tin
• Waterproof matches
• Shovel
• Booster cables

When to add a Winter Driving Package

Our Winter Driving Package is taught in a classroom, in blocks of two, four or eight hours. It costs $120, $240 or $450 plus GST, the same in every zone.

Add it when:

• You are new to Alberta and have never driven on snow.
• You hold a licence but dread the first storm each year.
• You want a certified instructor to cover winter driving with your teen.

Pair the class with driving lessons in winter and the rules turn into habits.

What City Driving School offers

City Driving School Ltd is an Alberta Transportation approved driving school in Edmonton, teaching since 2009. More than 6,000 students have passed with us. Driving lessons in winter fit the Full Course. It is 15 hours of theory plus 10 in the car, from $545 plus GST in Zone A. Book it in winter and your in-car hours land on real ice. For the classroom side, add the Winter Driving Package above.

Every in-car lesson includes free pickup and drop-off in Edmonton South, Beaumont, Edmonton Downtown, Edmonton North and Sherwood Park. Our instructors, men and women, are certified by Alberta Transportation. If a storm means moving a lesson, call early. We ask for 24 hours notice to cancel.