- Check your tires: Make sure your tires are properly inflated and have enough tread. You can even switch to winter tires, which provide more traction in cold weather.
- Check your battery: Make sure your battery is fully charged. Most car batteries last about 3-5 years, but cold weather can drain your battery quickly.
- Add windshield washer fluid: Make sure your car is topped off with washer fluid and keep a bottle on hand. For below freezing temperatures, make sure to use washer fluids that are made for freezing temps.
- Make sure you have enough coolant: It may be best practice to have a mechanic check for any leaks and make sure that you have enough antifreeze, so that your car is ready for the colder weather.
- Keep your gas tank full: Keeping your tank at least half full will help to avoid you running out of gas if you get stranded.
- Prepare a winter car kit: Items like blankets, a flashlight with extra batteries, jumper cables, an ice scraper, snow brush, first aid kit, water and non-perishable food are good to have on hand.
- Remove snow and ice: Before driving off, make sure you remove any snow and ice from your vehicle. If you don't this can cause a distraction for you, or for others, as ice or snow blows off your vehicle.
- Avoid using cruise control: When you are driving, try not to use cruise control on slippery surfaces like ice and snow.
When it comes to winter driving, we all have to get back into the right frame of mind when out on the roads after snow has fallen. There are some things that you can do before that time to make driving your vehicle safer and reduce the potential for an auto insurance claim this winter: