How to Prepare for Winter Driving
It's that time of year again, and while most people are still searching for those last-minute gifts for the holidays, our team at Larsen's Auto Repair is focused on helping our customers stay safe during their winter travels.
While staying on top of automotive repairs and maintenance services is important to ensuring a safer and more reliable vehicle, there's still more you can do to prepare your car for the cold winter months. Thankfully, our team is here with the tips you'll need to get ready.
Pack a Safety Kit
It's always a good idea to keep extra supplies in your car for emergencies — especially during the colder months of the year. You never know when disaster may hit, but it never hurts to be prepared for the worst. Some essentials you should keep in your vehicle include:
Extra food
Blankets or spare clothing
Water
Flares
First-aid kit
Flashlight
Shovel
Jumper cables
Cellphone charger
Tool kit
What you decide to store in your car can make all the difference if you're stuck in a snowstorm or dealing with a vehicle that won't start.
Check Your Tires
Keep you and your loved ones safe by checking your tires before the snow starts falling. As the main point of contact between you and the road, it's important to ensure that your tires are ready to handle the icy conditions by checking both your tire's pressure and the tread depth.
Tire Pressure
First, ensure that your tires have the recommended PSI for cold weather. This information can be found in your vehicle owner's manual. As a general rule, your tire pressure will increase by 1 PSI for every 10° F in decreased temperature. So, if the temperature in your area lowers by 30° F, you should increase your tire's recommended PSI by 3.
Tire Tread Depth
Preparing your vehicle for the colder months includes checking your tire's tread depth. If your tires are significantly worn down, then they're unable to maintain the traction that you need to safely grip the road during your winter travels. Combat this problem by investing in a new set of snow tires, or by replacing your worn-down tires with a new, fresh set of wheels.
Practice Driving in the Snow
Winter can be difficult for many individuals who have not yet experienced driving on snowy roads, but learning how to traverse these icy conditions can make all the difference. Here are some winter driving tips from our team:
Take It Slowly
Driving safely in the winter is all about taking things slow. Driving at high speeds on icy roads is a very easy way to lose control of your vehicle. To be safe, give yourself extra time to get to wherever you're going if the weather is bad. You'll thank yourself later when you arrive to your destination without any accidents.
Make Some Space
Allowing yourself extra space while braking or accelerating is an excellent way to avoid traffic accidents. Because the roads are slippery during these colder months, you have to give yourself an extra buffer between you and other vehicles while slowing down, turning, or accelerating. Remember, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
As always, if you have any questions about how to make your winter travels more safe and comfortable, then feel free to give our team at Larsen's Auto Repair a call today.