Winter Driving Safety

Driving during the winter season can pose serious safety risks. Whether it's snow, sleet or ice, winter weather can cause extremely dangerous road conditions. Before you head out on the road, it's important that you prepare your car and yourself.

Prep Your Car

In addition to annual maintenance, you should winterize your car each year. Here are some tips you can use:

• Test your battery as the power can drop with temperature

• Inspect your cooling system to ensure it is working properly

  • Ensure that the anti-freeze reservoir is full

• Check that all-season radial tires have good tread

  • Take a look at your tire pressure, since it can drop along with temperatures

• Examine your wiper blades and replace them if needed

• Make sure that your headlights and taillights are working

• Add wiper fluid that is rated for -30°F

• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid a gas line freeze

• Dress appropriately for winter weather conditions

  • Wear multiple layers and keep a blanket and cold-weather gear in your car to be prepared in case your car breaks down or you get stuck during cold or extreme weather

Make an Emergency Kit

You should have an emergency kit in your car at all times that contains the following items:

• Windshield ice scraper

• Snow brush

• Flashlight with operating batteries

• Small shovel

• Traction aids (bag of sand, cat litter, etc.)

• Emergency flares and/or reflective triangles

• Jumper cables

• Water and snacks

• Blankets, additional coats, and winter gear

Before You Drive

• Clean your car's external camera lenses, side view mirrors, and all windows for optimal visibility

• Remove any dirt, ice, and snow from sensors to allow any assistive-driving features like automatic emergency braking to work

• In frigid weather, consider warming up your car before driving

  • To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, NEVER leave your car running in your garage, even if the garage door is up

• Check the forecast before driving, and wait out any storms, if possible

  • If you can't postpone your trip, share your travel plans and route with friends and/or family before leaving

Avoid a Crash

• In wintry conditions, avoid using cruise control and brake retarders

• Steer in the direction of a skid to avoid overcorrection when your wheels regain traction

• With an anti-locking braking system (ABS), continue to press and hold the pressure on the brake pedal

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly

• Increase your following distance to 8 to 10 seconds

• If possible, don't stop when going uphill

• If visibility is severely limited, pull off the road to a safe plac

  e (off the road and shoulder)

Always leave your house prepared so that you can stay safe driving this winter!