AWD or 4WD will help you get down the road and they may help you get out of the ditch, but they will not help you avoid going into the ditch to start with.
You keep saying that Joesph…And all I can say is you’ve NEVER EVER driven a 4wd/awd system in your life…Because you have no idea what you’re talking about.
4wd or AWD will significantly help you from keeping out of ditch…SIGNIFICANTLY. You have far more control when in 4wd. The ONLY problem is some people who own a 4wd or awd vehicle think they can still travel the roads like it was summer. That’s when they run into problems…But if you drive in a sane matter…a 4wd or awd system GREATLY IMPROVES your ability to drive in the snow…We have a very good fwd vehicle and my 4wd 4runner…I’ve driven them both when the roads were covered with snow…there is no question…absolutely NONE…the 4runner will keep you on the road and getting you to your destination better then ANY fwd vehicle equipped with the BEST snow tires available.
Yes there are a few cases where AWD is useful for those who may live at the end of a long unplowed road if you must be able to get out. However think about it. How often have you been in a situation where you really needed to get somewhere as if your life depended on it
I agree with you here…Here in southern NH and even MN…there just isn’t enough snow to justify buying a 4wd vehicle or awd system for driving in the snow. For those days that it’s really bad outside (all 4 of them) just stay home. But if you live in the White Mountains or around the Great Lakes (where they get HUGE amounts of lake effect snow) then those really bad days could be 30 or 40 of them a year. Personally I wouldn’t be able take 30-40 vacation and sick days to stay home when the weather is bad (thus the need for 4wd or awd in those areas). Most of those areas won’t even close school unless there’s 12" or more of snow (we close at 6")… they’d have school into July if they did.