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Make sure any scheduled maintenance is handled on schedule. A new survey by Consumer Reports shows that many motorists are postponing maintenance or repairs. The only thing worse than being stuck at the side of the road is being there in freezing rain when a regular maintenance item was neglected. Keeping your car update to date with maintenance will help to make it is reliable and safe.
For example, be sure to inspect your tires carefully, ensuring there is adequate tread and that they are properly inflated. If your tires are worn, be sure to get a quality set of all-season or dedicated winter tires, depending on your needs.
Here are some other tips to keep in mind if you have to drive through nature’s cold wrath this winter season.
- Inspect your battery. Test your car battery to ensure it is strong. If it’s nearing the end of its service life, be proactive and replace it. Our latest car battery ratings show there are many good choices and that some are clearly better than others.
- Replace your windshield wipers. Winter is tough on wipers. If they’re not clearing the windshield as they once did, sometimes simply cleaning the blade with a window cleaner and paper towel can make a difference. If you need a replacement, check our wiper ratings to find the best blades for your car.
- Clear off the snow and ice before driving. If snow has fallen since your car was parked, take the time to thoroughly brush it off the vehicle--including the roof--and scrape any ice from the windows.
- Accelerate slowly to reduce wheel spin. If starting from a standstill on slick snow or ice, start in second gear if possible so the vehicle is less likely to spin the tires.
- Reduce your speed and drive smoothly. In slippery conditions, tires lose their grip more easily, affecting ALL aspects of driving: braking, turning, and accelerating.
- Allow longer braking distances. Plan on starting your braking sooner than you normally would in dry conditions to give yourself extra room, and use more gentle pressure on the brake pedal.
- Don't lock your wheels when braking. Locked wheels can make the vehicle slide or skid. If you have a vehicle without an antilock braking system (ABS), you may need to gently apply the brakes repeatedly to avoid having them lock up the wheels. If your vehicle has ABS, simply depress the brake pedal firmly, ignore the shattering you might feel, and hold it down.
- Perform one action at a time when accelerating, braking, and turning. Asking a vehicle to do two things at once--such as braking and turning, or accelerating and turning--can reduce your control. When taking a turn, for instance, slowly apply the brakes before you get to the turn while the vehicle is going straight.
- Avoid sudden actions when cornering. A sudden maneuver--such as hard braking, a quick turn of the steering wheel, sudden acceleration, or shifting a manual transmission--can upset a vehicle's dynamics when it's taking a turn. In slick conditions, this can cause it to more easily go out of control.
- Be ready to correct for a slide. Should the rear end of the vehicle begin to slide during a turn, gently let off on the accelerator and turn the steering wheel in the direction of the slide. This will help straighten it out.
- Don't let four- or all-wheel drive give you a false sense of security. 4WD and AWD systems only provide extra traction when accelerating. They provide no advantage when braking or cornering. And use the above tips no matter what type of vehicle you're driving.
- Be extra wary of other motorists. They may not be driving as cautiously as you.
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