This is the next is our series of guest blog postings…
Living in Syracuse for three years has taught me a few lessons about having your car prepared for the winter. Many of my friends have gotten in accidents related to ice or have had to call AAA to come tow their trapped car. I have had a few small but annoying winter driving experiences of my own in the frozen tundra.
Some of the winter tips I have are as follows:
1. Always be stocked with enough washer fluid and refill frequently. Running out of washer fluid while on the road can be dangerous and can inhibit your clear front window view. It’s also very cheap, sometimes less than a gallon of milk.
2. Don’t forget to turn off your windshield wipers before you turn off your car. This seems really obvious, but this past winter I left them on, turned on my car, spent the next ten minutes getting snow off my car, and it fried my wipers. It’s also good to replace them in the winter.
3. Get snow tires or all-weather tires.
4. Avoid parking in the street during a storm if possible. Snow plows push the snow up to the sides of the road, and if there’s a large accumulation it can block your car and cause you to get stuck.
5. Make sure the battery is in good condition. Check to make sure if you need a new one.
6. Test out your front and rear defrosters.
7. Consider having an emergency kit in your car containing things such as: a blanket, flashlight, washer fluid, first-aid kit, jumper cables, shovel, ice scraper, cell-phone backup charger, etc.
8. Don’t drive if the weather is bad and you don’t have to.
9. Try to always have plenty of gas in the car. This is important for traffic in the winter, emergencies, and can damage your car if the fuel drops too low.
10. Drive safely!