A recent GMAC Insurance survey reveals many drivers are stumped when it comes to proper safety procedures for winter weather driving.

Of the more than 5,000 licensed drivers surveyed across the nation, GMAC Insurance found several startling facts about driver competency during frozen or snowy conditions:

• 46 percent were unaware their gas tanks should be at least half full in order to continue providing heat in case of an emergency
• 38 percent didn't know driving while using cruise control, even in clear conditions, could be dangerous
• 24 percent did not know to turn the wheel in the direction of a skid

One of the most significant misconceptions revealed in the survey was in regard to vehicles equipped with four-wheel drive. While four-wheel drive helps with traction in snow and ice, it does not replace good driving practices and taking the correct precautions to stay safe.

Nevertheless, the GMAC Insurance survey showed that 70 percent of drivers may exhibit a false sense of security when driving in snowy weather if their vehicle was equipped with four-wheel drive:

• 37 percent feel they are less likely to have an accident
• 21 percent would drive during and right after a snowstorm
• 9 percent would feel superior to cars without four-wheel drive
• 3 percent would drive faster than they would with only two-wheel drive.

"It's important to know how to drive in a variety of weather conditions. That's why we feel it is important to offer a few simple precautions that can help people stay safe while driving this winter," said Wade Bontrager, vice president, marketing, GMAC Insurance, which offers the National Drivers Test ( www.NationalDriversTest.com ) to gauge the knowledge of the American driving public and educate people on driving safety.

To help drivers prepare for cold weather driving, GMAC Insurance offers the following winter checklist:

1. Be sure your car is ready for winter:

• Check to ensure you have sufficient battery charge, tire tread, tire air pressure, and antifreeze.
• Consistently clean the inside of your windshield to avoid foggy blotches that could impair visibility.
• Confirm taillights, headlights, blinkers, and horn are functioning properly.

2. Keep your car stocked with the safety essentials:

• Spare tire, wheel wrench, and jack
• Shovel, snow brush, and ice scraper
• Jumper cables
• A bag of salt or cat litter
• Flashlight and reflective triangles
• Blanket and warm gloves

3. Practice safe driving precautions:

• Keep at least half a tank of gas in your car at all times.
• Don't use cruise control in freezing temperatures.
• Turn the wheel into a skid.
• Drive defensively, even if you have four-wheel drive.
• Know your brakes: pump on non-antilock brakes, stomp on antilock brakes, and keep in mind that stopping distances are longer.

The GMAC Insurance survey was administered by TNS, a leading market information resource and the world's largest provider of custom research and analysis. The national sample was comprised of 5,524 licensed drivers between the ages of 16 and 60 in the United States.

Source: GMAC Insurance

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© Copyright 2007, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC).