What's the best way to control your vehicle when driving on snow?
- A Keep the engine revs high and spin the wheels
- B Drive in your vehicle's lowest gear
- C Keep the engine revs high and slip the clutch
- D Drive slowly, in a higher gear than normal
Why this is the answer
Driving slowly will give you better control of your vehicle. By using a high gear, you reduce the chance of your wheels spinning and skidding on the snow.
Why the other answers don't fit
- A
- Keep the engine revs high and spin the wheels — Spinning the wheels polishes the snow into ice.
- B
- Drive in your vehicle's lowest gear — The lowest gear sends the most torque to wheels that have least grip.
- C
- Keep the engine revs high and slip the clutch — High revs with a slipping clutch wears the clutch and still spins the wheels.
Where this comes from
- Driving Buses and Coaches — section 9
- Driving Goods Vehicles — section 9
Rule numbers link to The Highway Code on gov.uk.
Where this question comes from
The question, its options and the explanation are reproduced word for word from the DVSA revision question bank under licence. The licence requires them to appear unaltered, so we cannot reword them and neither can anyone else — that is why you will meet the same wording on other sites. Everything else on this page is written by Theory Hub: the explanation of why each wrong answer is wrong, the topic guide and the revision notes.
Asked in: Lorry & Bus (LGV/PCV)
More questions on The road
- High-sided vehicles can be affected by side wind. On which type of road is this most likely?
- How could you reduce the problems caused by a strong side wind when driving an empty curtain-sided vehicle on an exposed bridge?
- How is a strong wind likely to affect your bus?
- How much longer can your stopping distance be in snow than in dry weather?
- How should you drive through flood water?
- How should you slow down or stop when you're driving on an icy road?
- How should you use the brakes in icy weather?
- How will gravity affect a laden vehicle going downhill?