The Problem:
I first discovered this on my then 1976 VW Rabbit which was my first gasoline powered front wheel drive vehicle. I found this out in Mt. Shasta when in gear the car's rear end started coming around to the front of the car because of the pull on the gears of the front wheel drive going downhill in gear.
There are two ways to solve this problem if you have a between the seats emergency brake you can while pushing the button in so it doesn't lock gently give it a little hand brake. But the problem with this is an emergency brake is only on one rear brake so unless you are an expert driver in the snow already like me or someone else this could get you killed too.
So, the answer likely would be to lightly tap your brakes before the rear end slides around towards the front of your vehicle and causes you an accident or causes someone to hit your car because now you are broadside or worse (180 degrees off) and facing the car that was behind you a minute before.
But, you have to do this the first moment the rear end starts to slide, otherwise possible giving it a little gas and then using the foot brakes would be best to straighten out the car unless you are also in a slide sideways at this point.
If you are also in a sideways slide you must turn the wheels in the direction of the slide to straighten the car out as well.
For me, it is easy to tell whether I'm in a cornering sideways slide or whether I'm in a 2 wheel drive caused rear end slide forward (the back of the car wants to go forwards on a straight away down hill on ice or snow). However, there are people who wouldn't be able to tell so I'm not sure what to tell you to do about this but to better familiarize yourself with your vehicle in harsher conditions more by testing your capabilities and safety in these kinds of conditions. Maybe you shouldn't be driving at all in some conditions and should just get someone else to drive you or take a taxi or a bus or train or plane to your destination.
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