A good set of winter tires - they don't call them snow tires anymore - can make a huge difference. Modern winter tires are designed to stay soft and pliable in sub-freezing temperatures, which greatly improves traction. They also have more deeply studded treads to grab in snow. Winter tires can help cars get moving, stop and turn in snow and on ice better than regular all-season tires.

Some, such as Bridgestone's Blizzak tires, have microscopic holes in the tread surface, These act like tiny suction cups to help the tires grip even on ice.

"All those other systems within the vehicle are all limited in their capabilities by the amount of traction you give them to work with," said Matt Edmonds, vice president of TireRack.com, a tire retailing Web site.

There are downsides to cold-weather tires, however, so they may not be the right choice for those who live in areas with infrequent snow and ice. Winter tires have more rolling resistance than summer or all-season tires. That means your car has to work harder to push them, which will hurt fuel economy. They're also made of softer compounds, so they'll wear out faster on drive pavement.

For those reasons, experts recommend using winter tires only in places where you really get winter weather.