Does four-wheel-drive help on icy roads?

[E Burns]

Does four-wheel-drive help in icy roads, I know it helps in deep snow but does it help on icy roads?
give some proof

[dan]

Not really, because instead of having only two wheels with power you have four.  The only way four wheel drive is better on ice is to have studded tires all around.

[mikentammy76]

we have a 4 wheel drive truck and it gets around great in four wheel drive on the ice and snow.

[JDMjosh]

HELL YES. Think about it. Four wheels working....  instead of two...    I'm telling you from experience that 4wd is way better but from simple mathematics....  4 is better than 2.

[Friendly Stranger..]

Yes.  The reason is because having a 4 wheel drive vehicle increases the amount of traction and stability you get.  The thing to note is that with 4 wheel drive the weight is evenly distributed amongst the wheels, and you have better traction as result.  Now if you must drive this is the best car to drive in these conditions.  Rear wheel drive cars spin out too easy becuase of the loss of traction, and instability of the weight and wheels.  Stick with 4 wheel drive.

[Doug W]

Yes it does. you have to be smart because it won't stop well as no car will. But the control and getting going does work better. There is enough roughness to the ice and all 4 wheels moving instead of pushing or draggin 2 wheels that it makes it move good.
 The weight distribution is not evenly distributed around each wheel. The car is still heavy in the front.

[K]

Yes. It will help on an icey road seeing as the ice most likely won't be perfectly flat (ie. it will have bumps and snow in places) so the more wheels working the more traction you get. All though sometimes  it's just to slick and you won't go anywhere. In the end though it can't make it worse so go for it!

[ucantcme]

Yes it does but you can do the same with front wheel drive and rear wheel drive vehicles as long as you fully understand how to drive in the snow or on icy roads.

[Stephanie]

nope. if there is ice you can still slide, power of 2 wheels or 4. it helps most in snow when the roads havent iced over.

[George A]

Nothing works good on roads that are nothing but glare ice. I've seen 4x4's sliding off a road just as fast as 2x4 vehicles. I have a 4x4, and I rarely have to rely on the 4 wheel drive button to get me from point A to point B in even the worst of the WV roads in the winter.
A lot of drivers place too much confidence in 4x4 in the winter- "hey I've got 4 wheel drive, I don't need to go 30 MPH like everyone else, I can do this at 45." This overconfidence causes a lot of injuries and deaths every winter in the US.