I don't think that there's one major trick to make winter roads less hazardous, but it all depends on how much you're willing to spend.
Tyres are a major consideration, so many people go on about the tread pattern for off-roading, but in winter, it's the actual compound of the rubber which starts to become more important. As temperatures fall, anywhere below plus 7 celsius (NOT minus 7 C), the standard or summer tyre starts to harden, ultimately losing much of it's grip performance. I'm fortunate, I can afford to keep a set of wheels with cold weather tyres on which I change over for the colder months. Look for a tyre with the 3 mountain peaks and snowflake logo.
I've always got a can of de-icer but it's not in the car, it's under the sink in the kitchen. It can help with de-icing the rubber strip around the door and the door handles as well as the windscreen ..... except it's in the car! While we're talking about the rubber door seal, a smear of Vaseline on it will prevent moisture build-up which can lead to the doors freezing closed.
You'd be surprised at how much more effective new windscreen wiper blades can be, so change them regularly. Likewise the headlight bulbs. They can "age" and in the worst cases the glass bulb can start to become discoloured, so change them too. Use something like Osram "Nightbreakers +130%").
Keep a proper windscreen washer fluid in the bottle, not just water and washing-up liquid. Proper fluid at the recommended strength will prevent it freezing and also cut through the greasy muck on the windscreen. Check that your anti-freeze is at the correct concentration too, your local garage should have a special hydrometer to measure that, although they're not that expensive so you could keep one yourself. While you're at your garage, ask them to put their high current tester on your battery and replace it if it's looking dodgy.
Check also your alternator and the drive belts, winter conditions place quite a heavy load on all your electrical systems.
There's nothing wrong with the "Heatshot", I've fitted one to my Disco. I also fitted a pair of Disco 3 heated washer jets, connected to the front screen heater circuit.
So you can see, there's no single trick but a cumilation of little tricks, and when the warmer weather does return, consider getting the salt build up underneath cleaned out with a steam clean so that you can then get down to treating the underside of the vehicle with Waxoyl, Dinitrol or Bilt Hamber which apparently is even better. Just in time for the next winter!
