Snow, ice, blizzards and wheels off the pavement

Key points

1. On snow and ice, reduce speed, increase following distance, and do not use cruise control.

   Source: Handbook p. 62

   “Reduce speed and proceed with extreme caution. Increase following distance. Keep windows clear. Make speed and directional changes gradually. Do not use cruise control.”
   Nebraska Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 62

2. Without ABS, pump the brake pedal to keep the brakes from locking.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “Vehicles not equipped with antilock (ABS) brakes: pump brake pedal to keep brakes from locking up;”
   Nebraska Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 63

3. With ABS brakes, the rule is different: press the brake pedal.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “Vehicles equipped with antilock (ABS) brakes: press brake pedal”
   Nebraska Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 63

4. Studded tires are lawful only from November 1 to April 1.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “Studded tires are only lawful from November 1 to April 1.”
   Nebraska Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 63

5. If stranded in a blizzard, do not panic and stay with the vehicle.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “Don't panic. Stay with the vehicle.”
   Nebraska Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 63

6. Run the engine and heater sparingly with a window slightly open, and keep snow from blocking the exhaust pipe.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “Conserve fuel, run the engine and heater sparingly, and only with a slightly open window for ventilation. Keep snow from blocking exhaust (tail) pipe.”
   Nebraska Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 63

7. If your wheels drop off the pavement edge, do not try to turn back onto the road immediately; reduce speed.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “Don't attempt to turn back onto the roadway immediately. Reduce speed.”
   Nebraska Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 63

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Nebraska practice test

1. 1. If a driver becomes stranded in a blizzard, which action does the Nebraska manual advise?

   1. Walk away from the vehicle immediately to find help
   2. Stay with the vehicle and conserve fuel
   3. Run the engine continuously with all windows closed
   4. Park in the travel lane and leave the emergency flashers off
   Show answer

   Stay with the vehicle and conserve fuel. A stranded vehicle provides shelter and is easier for work crews to locate than a person walking through a blizzard. The manual advises staying with it, conserving fuel, and using the heater sparingly. Ventilation matters: a slightly open window helps provide fresh air, while snow must not block the exhaust pipe. Running the engine nonstop with every window closed can create a dangerous buildup of exhaust. The cue to remember is shelter, ventilation, and visibility. Emergency flashers can also make the vehicle more visible to people clearing the roadway.

2. 2. How should a Nebraska driver brake on ice in a vehicle without antilock brakes?

   1. Pump the brake pedal to keep the wheels from locking, since there is no steering control unless the tires roll
   2. Press the pedal hard and hold it
   3. Use the parking brake
   4. Shift to neutral and coast
   Show answer

   Pump the brake pedal to keep the wheels from locking, since there is no steering control unless the tires roll. In a vehicle not equipped with antilock brakes, pump the brake pedal to keep the brakes from locking up, because there is no steering control unless the tires are rolling. In a vehicle with ABS, press the pedal firmly and do not pump. Make speed and direction changes gradually, do not use cruise control on slick roads, and keep the windows clear.

3. 3. When a vehicle's wheels drop off the pavement edge, what is the safest recovery?

   1. Reduce speed and gradually return when traffic makes it safe
   2. Turn sharply back onto the roadway immediately
   3. Accelerate until the tires climb onto the pavement
   4. Stop the vehicle across the travel lane without checking traffic
   Show answer

   Reduce speed and gradually return when traffic makes it safe. Hold the steering wheel firmly, keep the wheels straddling the pavement edge, reduce speed, and check traffic. Return gradually only when the roadway is clear and safe. A sharp immediate turn can make the vehicle skid or cross into another lane. Acceleration does not solve the loss of pavement support, and stopping across a travel lane creates a new obstruction. The recovery cue is patience: stabilize first, slow down, look around, then ease back onto the roadway.

Source: the Nebraska Driver's Manual, Section 5: Special Driving Conditions. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.