Winter presents all sorts of hardships for road users—frozen highways that may cause tires to skid and driveways packed with inches of snow. While it’s customary to remain indoors as much as possible, you may need to go out sometimes. And adhering to a few basics can improve your safety and prepare you for any situations that arise en route.
- Keep the gas tank at least halfway filled all winter long—a full tank is even better. This will reduce the freezing effect of condensation on your fuel lines, making it easier to start your car on icy mornings.
- Have a shovel and an ice/snow scraper on hand. This should help you dig your car out of your driveway when the snow level rises more than a few inches.
- Clean your car thoroughly for the best visibility before driving. Check your head and taillights, side mirrors, windshield, and rear glass.
- Remove any accumulated snow on your roof, hood, and trunk. It’ll only take a short time and will save you from being unsighted by snow from your roof falling on your windshield. Plus, ice fragments falling from your car could endanger other drivers on the road.
- If you have a rear-wheel drive car, you may want to carry some weight in the trunk to help you get more traction on the icy road. This will provide downforce on the car, so it doesn’t slip and slide as you go. For front-wheel-driven cars, the engine weight serves this purpose.
- Always carry your fully charged cell phone if you’re driving a long distance for whatever reason. Keep a phone charger in the car if it’s a really long trip.
- Again, for long trips, have a first aid kit alongside the standard supplies on hand. So, winter-specific accessories like flashlights, fresh batteries, blankets, matches, spare clothes, bottled water, and non-perishable snacks.
- For example, granola bars and peanuts are excellent sources of protein and carbohydrates. Apart from this, always try managing anger on the road so you dont meet any accident.
Safe Driving is Key
There are many factors you can’t control while driving, including the actions of other motorists, the weather, and the state of the road. Winter takes these variables to a whole new level. So, it requires the utmost focus, care, and preparation before and after you step on the road. Check out TorqueDial for more information on managing your car.