Make a Car Maintenance Checklist
Navigating sheets of ice and hills of snow requires top performance from your car. Give your car the attention it needs so it will come through for you when the mercury begins to drop. Here are a few car maintenance must-dos to keep your vehicle in tip-top shape:
- Check the battery, lights, antifreeze, heater/defroster, belts, hoses, filters, oil, wipers and brakes.
- Carry the basics-an ice scraper, a snowbrush, a small shovel, tow chains and jumper cables-in your car.
- Also add a breakdown-kit that includes a blanket, gloves, boots, warm clothes, a flashlight, food, water, a first aid kit, extra batteries, road flares and emergency cash to your supplies.
- Add chains to your tires if necessary.
Keep Your Eyes On The Road
It’s also important to know what’s true and what’s false when it comes to safe driving in bad weather. For example, did you know that using cruise control during rainy or icy conditions does more harm than good?
Here are a few additional winter safe driving tips that will help you stay in control on the darkest and dreariest days and nights:
- Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid a gas line freeze-up.
- Press the gas pedal slowly when accelerating to regain traction and avoid skids.
- Take your time breaking for a stoplight-it takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
- Don’t apply extra gas on snow-covered roads-for instance when going up a hill-it will just make your wheels spin.
via Allstate