Driving in snow and ice in Afghanistan: tyres, chains, speed and what to carry

Photo: Scott L. Sorensen / mawg64 · CC BY 3.0

Check the road before you go

Government winter-driving advice starts the same way: check the forecast, and avoid driving in snow or ice unless the journey is essential (UK Highway Code, rule 228; Ready.gov says to stay off the roads if at all possible). Tell someone where you are going, the route and when you expect to arrive, so they can raise the alarm if you do not (Missouri Department of Public Safety).

1. Open the roads and passes page for the snow on each pass now and for the next two days.
2. Check the weather at both ends of the road.
3. Ask drivers who have just come over the pass.
4. Read the Salang in winter and other winter roads and passes for the roads that close most often.

Get the vehicle ready

• Tyres. The US CDC says to make sure tyres have enough tread and the right air pressure, to replace worn ones, and to inflate low ones to the pressure recommended for your vehicle.
• Chains. The CDC lists tyre chains in the winter kit. When the Salang reopened in December 2025, the Ministry of Public Works also told people to carry chains.
• Fuel. Keep the tank near full (CDC, Ready.gov).
• Windows and lights. Clear all snow and ice from the windows, lights and mirrors, and snow that could fall off the roof onto others (Highway Code, rule 229).

Driving on snow and ice

• Go slowly, in as high a gear as you can (Highway Code, rule 231).
• Accelerate and brake gently. Brake before a bend, not in it (rule 231).
• Keep well back. Stopping distances on ice and snow can be ten times longer than on a dry road (rule 230).
• If the steering feels light, the vehicle may be losing grip on ice (rule 231).
• Allow more time. Plan for a slow journey (rule 228).

Photo: Scott L. Sorensen · CC BY 3.0

Do not drive round a barrier or follow other vehicles through a closed pass. Snow, ice and avalanches close mountain roads for good reason, and a pass that has just reopened can close again.

What to carry

The CDC, Ready.gov and the Missouri guidance together list:

• Blankets and extra warm clothes
• Water and snacks that keep
• A torch (flashlight), a phone and a charger
• A shovel and a scraper for the windows
• Sand or similar for grip under the wheels
• Tyre chains
• Jumper cables
• A first aid kit and any medicines you need

If you are stuck

Ready.gov says to stay inside the vehicle if you are trapped. Missouri's guidance adds:

• Clear the snow from around the exhaust pipe. Snow packed around it can cause high levels of carbon monoxide inside the car.
• Do not sit in a parked car with the engine running unless a window is open slightly.
• If fuel is low, wrap up in blankets and run the heater only for a few minutes every hour.

Carbon monoxide has no smell and can poison you in a closed car. Sources differ on how long to run the engine, so the safe rule is a clear exhaust pipe and an open window.

For the same danger at home, see staying warm safely this winter.