It sounds like parts of the South have been hit by snow, ice, and cold so hard you'd think Donald Trump's inauguration miraculously ended global warming once and for all. I don't want to poke fun at folks who are unaccustomed to snow, but I do want to add some tips for drivers.

Slow down!

Be gentle accelerating. In physics, "acceleration" means any change in velocity or direction. Ease into the throttle. Ease into the brakes. Ease into turns. Give yourself extra room for every action on the road.

Don't believe marketing

4-wheel-drive is not 4-wheel-stop. Jeeps and Subarus are not miracle machines. Commercials and advertisements nowadays always have small print along the lines of "professional driver on a closed course." Unless you are also a pro, don't try to slalom through the snow in your car. See above and take it easy!

Summer equipment is not winter equipment

Mud tires are not snow tires, and big smooth lugs are terrible on snow and ice.

Summer street tires have too much rubber and too few grooves or siping to handle snow, even if they move water off wet roads OK.

All-season tires are not bad, but are not proper snow tires. I am content with all-seasons on the Friend-Shaped Car, but I also know when I need to just stay home.

Proper winter tires have a balance of lugs and grooves designed to handle snow, smaller siping grooves for slippery condition, and a softer rubber compound which works better in colder weather. Some even have metal studs for extra grip on ice.

Accept your limitations

Inexperience is OK, but recklessness is not. Don't feel the need to risk your neck. Then again, it might not hurt to find an empty parking lot and get a feel for low traction conditions in a safer environment, either. Just watch out for folks who don't have the right mindset on your way there.