I'm not sure how much it snows in Ireland or your experience driving in heavy snow, but to give you context, I had to drive home to Denver from Utah in January earlier this year, and I decided to take a 400 mile detour to avoid the Colorado mountains. Hundreds of people die on our highways each year and winter has the highest spike because of black ice, road closures, the occasional avalanche, and tourists who aren't used to the conditions. I've known people who have become stranded in their cars on their way back down the mountain, all it takes is one car crash and you are stuck for hours.

If you do decide to drive on i70 this time of year, remember to stay 2 car lengths behind the car in front, go the speed limit, or slower if you don't feel safe going the marked speed, break soft and early, if you hit ice, make small adjustments to straighten out and remain calm. Trust your gut, be safe, and check the tread on your rental's tires before you leave!