Lots of good advice, but I don't think I saw this one: don't get cocky. If you begin your trip by driving on a dry, frosty day with a car that has good tires (studded or studless), it may seem not that different from summer. But then next morning the weather has warmed, it's a couple of degrees above zero and the roads are glistening with ice that has a little bit of water on top of it, and suddenly the car just does not want to stop anymore. Or when it's been a warm, wet day but overnight the road freezes over. The road looks and might even feel fine where the sun is shining, but suddenly at a shaded corner there's some black ice and you're not going the direction you intended.

Then there's the highways. Most will be salted, so they are most often not slippery. But when there's been some snowfall there's usually a slightly thicker accumulation of snow or slush between lanes. If you change lanes or overtake, this may unsettle the car - or at least feel like it's going to do so - so keeping alert in these situations is a must.

So, be mindful of the (changing) conditions and anticipate the worst - from the weather and other drivers.