From snow and sleet to freezing rain, winter brings a number of challenges to daily driving. As fall comes to an end and winter arrives, it’s important to get your vehicle ready for the cold weather ahead. The following are a few tips that will help you get your car prepped for winter driving.
Your tires are one of the most important things to check before winter arrives. Good tires play a large role in keeping you safe on the road in slippery and wet conditions. There are two things you can do to make sure your tires are ready for the rough weather ahead: Check your tire pressure and check the tread. Reference your vehicle’s owner’s manual to see the recommendation for the pressure level. Using a simple gauge, you can check the tire pressure and add air if needed. Many gas stations offer free air fill-ups for your tires.
To check the tread on your tires, you can use the easy “Lincoln test.” All you need is a penny. Place the penny in the tread of the tire with the top of Lincoln’s head aiming down toward the tire. If all of Lincoln’s head is visible, that’s a sign that it’s time to purchase new tires. Drivers who live in exceptionally cold and snowy climates might want to consider investing in winter or snow tires.
If you live in an area that has extreme wintry weather, you’ll want to consider switching your wiper blades to winter-specific blades. You may also want to look into changing your wiper fluid to winter fluid. Some fluids aren’t designed for cold weather and will freeze on the windshield after being sprayed. You’ll also want to make sure you have a snow brush with an ice scraper in your car so you can clean off your windows before driving.
Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and distilled water. The antifreeze portion is what keeps your engine from freezing during the winter months, so you want to make sure that you have plenty of antifreeze in your vehicle before icy weather arrives. You can use a kit to check your coolant level and determine if you have the proper ratio. If the antifreeze is low, you can easily add a little more.
The key to winter driving is to be prepared for the challenging weather ahead and be ready if you end up stuck and stranded. Keeping an emergency winter supply kit in your vehicle can be extremely helpful in these situations. Some of the items you want to keep in this kit include a flashlight, extra gloves, blankets, batteries, a first-aid kit, a bag of sand or cat litter, snacks, water, and an extra phone charger.
Many drivers aren’t too thrilled about the challenging driving conditions that come with the cold weather. If you take the proper steps to be prepared, you can be a bit more confident and safer on the road this winter.
