Regardless of what time of year you’re taking a car trip, it’s important that you know the best ways to keep yourself and others safe and prepared while on the road. Different seasons are going to bring about different road or vehicular hazards. While you might have to worry more about your car overheating in summer, there are other concerns that creep up on you in the winter. So to help you be ready for some of the most likely ones, here are three ways you can prepare your car for winter travel.
Break Out Your “Winter Supply” Box
One of the worst situations you can find yourself in during your winter travel is to be stuck on the side of the road somewhere in bad weather without the ability to go anywhere or get any help. While we’d like to think that this wouldn’t happen to any of us, it’s best to be prepared for the worst case scenario. To help with this preparation, Trent Hamm, a contributor to U.S. News and World Report, recommends that you keep a “winter supply” box in your garage that you can then move into your car as the weather gets colder. In this box, you should keep things like a flashlight, blanket, warm clothes, gloves, a sandbag, ice scraper, and some healthy snacks. With this box in tow, you’ll be able to make your way out of many scary winter driving situations.
Put On The Right Set Of Tires
Especially if you live in an area where there are cold temperatures, snow, or ice that accumulates during the winter months, you might want to consider putting some different tires on your car than the ones you use during the summer. According to Tori Reid, a contributor to LifeHacker.com, winter tires or studded snow tires have much better traction than traditional tires. These types of winter tires can be very helpful when you’re on roads with snow or ice. If you choose not to change your tires, you might find that you have a harder time stopping or accelerating on the winter roads.
Test Your Car Battery
The battery of your car can often have troubles as the weather starts getting colder. Because of this, it’s important that you get your battery tested as the weather starts shifting to see if that’s something you should consider replacing before it gets really cold outside. To better protect your battery during the winter, Kevin Byrne, a contributor to AccuWeather.com, recommends that you try to park your car in a garage or other type of building where it can be shielded from the cold when you’re not using it.
To help you be ready for your winter trips, consider using the tips mentioned above if you’ll be on the road quite a big this coming season.
