Automatic cars

[artakin]

How do you drive an automatic car safely in snow and ice

[ChuckFickens]

Pretty much the same way as you do a manual car, slowly, carefully and most importantly, smoothly, if your car will allow it lock the transmission in second for pulling away.

[Graham-W]

As Chuck says. My old Omega had an ice setting next to the gear selector which locked the 'box in 3rd until you reached 50mph. Then it switched to normal.

[Prudie]

As chuck says, select 1 or 2 which relates roughly to 2nd or 3rd gear in a manual.

[Graham-W]

I wouldn't recommend 1st gear. It's too low on ice and either the wheels will spin or the traction control will work overtime. 2nd or 3rd if you can lock these in.

[henrythewasp]

Very little acceleration to pull off keeping movement of accelerator very gentle,imagine you have a bowl full of water on the bonnet and you dont want to spill it.Plan well ahead scanning far,middle and near distance anticipating the actions of others,ask what if! if you ask what if and you are ready for it then you wont get caught out by it.Reduce acceleration in good time so you dont have to brake to heavy,the slower the wheels are turning the less brake pressure you need and you will find by the time you come to a halt the pressure on the pedal will be very little or none,dont slow down using your gears,todays cars have changed with technology like everything else,brakes now are servo assisted so remember....gears are for going and brakes are for slowing,one gear change per hazard and that is strait to the gear you need ie to move off again after you have slowed,disregard this for automatics though. Using these techniques is called car sympathy and you will find wear and tear on your car less and fuel consumption will be better also better for the environment

[Toureman]

Slowly as you would with any car !

[MantaRay]

In a word, smoothly, and with very little throttle opening while pulling away in first gear. Select 2 if you can for pulling away from a standstill as this will help prevent wheelspin.