I think computerized controls (traction control & stability control) have allowed for the revival of the popularity of RWD vehicles among unskilled drivers in climates that get regular snow/ice in the winter.
As much as I am an advocate for better driver training, I'm also a realist. Licensing (where I live) is pretty lax. Training for new drivers is encouraged but optional. Specific training for driving in low-traction conditions is almost unheard of. Never mind refresher training for already-licensed drivers. I love to drive, so I've taken & taught all of the above.
I'll admit I'm rusty on RWD, simply because I rarely drive it in slippery conditions. (The
MPGiata is only the 3rd RWD vehicle I've owned, and it's a fair-weather-only car.)
But, as much as I get annoyed when modern electronic nannies interfere with managing my own yaw & slip angles (always stepping in too soon for my liking), in general I think the more technology we throw at this, the better. Incentives & laws for winter tires help, too.
Any other aficionados of winter driving dashcam driving compilations out there?
I get a kick out of identifying the clips where it's clear to me some driver's bacon has just been saved by their vehicle's stability control, helping them prevent or rein in a scary tank-slapper situation.
I bet if we did a statistical analysis of the number of cars (FWD or RWD) oversteering into ditches in those videos, we'd find they're mostly older vehicles lacking the computer safety nannies.
Maybe the days are numbered for winter driving crash compilations?