Triple Check Your Lights
Decreased visibility is far more frequent throughout the winter months. Plus, now that we’ve done the whole “fall back” thing with daylight savings time, it’s getting darker much earlier. You have to know that your lights are working, and working well so you aren’t left driving at night without the ability to see further than a couple feet in front of your car. Vehicles with broken head or tail lights make the road unsafe for everyone on it, so this is a biggie.
Battery
Batteries that are already struggling have an even harder time when the temperatures drop. Checking your battery health is an important step to save you from being stranded on a snowy road with a broken car. Having a volt test performed on your vehicle’s battery before winter strikes is the best way to tell if you’re good to go or it’s time to seriously consider replacing this crucial part.
Survival Kit
This is less about vehicle maintenance but is still crucial for winter preparedness and your vehicle. No matter how much troubleshooting you do, there’s still a chance that something goes wrong while you’re on the road. Having a fully-stocked emergency kit could mean the difference between life and death (it sounds extreme, but when winter temps drop low and snowfall piles high, depending on where you get stuck it could very well be true). Most emergency kits include food, water, blankets, spare clothes, a flashlight, a spare cell phone charger that works in your car’s cigarette lighter or USB port, and jumper cables. It’s also a good idea to keep a shovel in your trunk. This way, if you end up stranded, you’ll have what you need to get you through however long it takes to get someone out there to help you.
Defroster
A working defroster not only saves you time in the morning when you’re running late for work (darn sun not being up as early anymore!) but it also keeps you safe in icy and snow conditions on the road. When the fluffy stuff is falling down, a properly working defroster keeps it from building up on your windshield. It can also help keep your windshield from fogging up and hurting your visibility.
Heater
This one’s about comfort, mostly, but that’s important, too! The worst time to realize your heater doesn’t work is the first day you need it. Test out your heater early in the season and if something seems a little off, get it checked out for peace of mind.
Being on the road during the winter sometimes feels like a necessary evil, but taking these steps to ensure your vehicle is up to the task and ready for whatever the snowy season throws at you allows you to breathe a little easier and keeps you (and those around you) safe and sound behind the wheel.
