Winter is here, and although the weather has been mild thus far for the NY Metro Area and Long Island, it’s important to prepare for anything. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe on the road with our helpful hints for winter-weather car prep.
Bringing your car in for regular maintenance and service checks with one of our trained, trusted technicians is a great place to start! But you can also read up on today’s blog to find out even more helpful advice:
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Change to winter tires if your area calls for it, and maintain consistent tire pressure. Proper tire treads and optimal inflation levels can be the difference between life and death or catastrophic accident if needing to stop in black ice or inclement conditions. In addition, keeping a tire-pressure gauge on hand for monitoring your wheels is a great idea. Check with our service technicians or your local trusted mechanic if you need help finding winter tires or all-season tires as appropriate.
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Always keep your fuel tank at least halfway full. This simple step is one that many drivers overlook, and too many take a gamble on “making it on fumes.” Be safe and fuel up! In the event of an emergency in frigid temps, or in cases where help may take awhile to arrive, a half or full tank of gas can keep you warm. In the off chance you unfortunately become lodged in a snowbank and need to be towed out, or perhaps you end up with a flat tire in a remote area, it’s good to have plenty of fuel in the tank. If your commute to work is long, or you’re planning a lengthy drive, be sure to take a route with frequent gas station stops along the way to keep your tank fueled.
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Keep some spare towels, blankets, and winter clothes in your car. It’s good to have dry clothes (like a bright colored hoody to spot in the dark) on hand for these such occurrences, or in case of emergency where you need to dislodge yourself out of an embankment and wait for help. Stranded in a non-working vehicle and need to mkeep warm? Using an emergency thermal bag or some blankets can help insulate while you wait. You’ll also want to keep a water-proof bag in your trunk or backseat containing extra hats, gloves, scarves, socks, and hand/foot warmers; you can swap your wet, cold clothing to store in there and put on the dry ones!
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Always travel with a flashlight and reflectors or flares. The winter season means it gets darker out a little earlier, and it can make it harder to spot your vehicle if you are in need of help. Carrying a set of reflectors, road flares, or an emergency spotlight with you can enable service workers to find you in very dark areas with low light. It can also be helpful to spot a vehicle in a winter storm by reflecting off snow or ice and illuminating the area. Consider also adding a toolbox to your emergency kit, and choose one with a very bright flashlight and extra batteries or one with a crank rechargeable option.
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Carry a small shovel and a bag or small lidded bucket of salt. In the event you’re iced in or perhaps spinning your wheels in slush or snow, a small portable shovel and a bit of salt can go a long way! Keeping a small lightweight shovel can also speed up your snow removal when you’re leaving work after it’s been snowing in the lot all day! Adding a small can of de-icer to your work bag or purse in the event your locks, hatchback, trunk, or doors are frozen shut! If you live in an area with high chance of flooding or icing, these tire grip supports can help in sticky situations.
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Install new, fresh wiper blades and protect your windshield wipers from damage. Leave the windshield wipers in a raised position to prevent freezing to your windshield. Do not use your wiper blades to remove caked-on snow or stuck on ice! Use your snowbrush and ice scraper for the job to ensure your blades remain efficient and sturdy for driving in bad weather. Fill your wiper fluid container with a proper de-icer fluid or all-weather or cold-weather wiper fluid! Applications such as RainX are a great option to assist in keeping snow off your windshield and clear vision while driving.
