I've driven both FWD and RWD vehicles over my 40+ years of driving (I'm 57 now), so I have some experience. FWD is WORSE in snow and ice. You might-- might-- have more initial traction, but once a FWD car goes into a skid you can't get control back until the car stops moving. I've proven it too often, and let me tell you that is one scary ride if there's any speed involved. Steering and braking have no or only marginal effect and everything is concentrated on the front wheels. On the other hand, RWD gave me much better control. Having the drive wheels in the rear helps in slippery conditions--- so much so that I have deliberately initiated a skid in a RWD to get around a corner in snowy weather. I had that much control that not only was initiating the skid safe, it was the right thing to do to get around the corner in snow. Back off of the power and the car stops skidding.
Consider this: At the tire place I do business with, if you buy only two new tires they will automatically place your older tires in front and mount the new ones in the rear-- even on front-wheel drive vehicles. It all has to do with traction and control. If the front breaks traction first, the reasoning is that your steering is in front and you might still get control back but if the rear breaks traction first (because of older tires) you may be just along for the ride, since there's no way to steer the rear wheels. RWD does give you at least some more control in the rear than FWD does.
