Preparing Your Car for Cold Weather

Before cold weather hits, there are things you can do to insure that your car is ready for cold weather.

Check the following items on your car:

• Battery
• Antifreeze
• Wipers and windshield washer fluid
• Ignition system
• Thermostat
• Light
• Flashing hazard lights
• Exhaust system
• Heater
• Brakes
• Defroster
• Oil level
• Tire tread

Remember to keep an ice scraper in your car for mornings when frost or ice crystals have settled on your windshield; clean all snow and ice from your windows and mirrors before traveling. Another good precaution is to maintain at least half a tank of gas during the cold winter months. Always dress warmly by wearing layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. You can also prepare a winter care kit by carrying the following items in your trunk during winter months:

• Flashlights with extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Newspapers for extra insulation
• Extra set of mittens, socks and a wool cap
• Rain gear and extra clothes
• Small tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver)
• Booster cables
• Small sack of sand or cat litter for generating traction under wheels
• Brightly colored cloth to use as a flag, if stranded
• Bottled water and snack food items such as canned nuts, if stranded

 Driving Tips:

• Limit your travel to essential trips only.
• Stay off the road when traveler warnings are issued.
• Leave early and expect any trip to take twice as long as normal.
• Plan your route to avoid lightly traveled roads.
• Slow down! Slick pavement means reduced traction and excessive speed will cause loss of control. On snow or ice, you should drive much slower than the posted speed limit.
• Increase your following distance. It can take up to three to ten times farther to stop on winter slick pavement than on a dry road. Therefore, leave a much bigger gap between your car and the vehicle ahead of you.
• Avoid quick acceleration, hard braking and fast turns. Remember, if your car has antilock brakes, do not pump the brake pedal.
  
  

  What to do if You Get Stranded

• Stay with your vehicle. It provides excellent temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to find you.
• Tie a bright colored cloth to the antenna to signal distress, or keep the dome light on, if you think the battery is strong enough. If at nighttime, you should have emergency road lights that signal distress.
• Don’t try to push your vehicle or dig it out of the snow. Overexerting yourself could cause a heart attack. If your door lock is frozen, squirt de-icer on the lock or carefully heat the end of your key with a match or lighter. Don’t pour heat water on a frozen lock.
• Make sure your exhaust pipe is not clogged with snow or ice. A blocked pipe can cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the car when the engine is running. For fresh air, open a window slightly on the side away from the wind and make sure snow or frost does not block ventilation.
• Run the engine and heater for short periods only. Stay warm by rapidly moving your arms and legs, breathing deeply and covering yourself with a blanket, car mats, newspapers or other similar materials you might have in the car.