Top Car-safety Tips for the Winter

Top Car-safety Tips for the Winter

During the winters, your car might face problems ranging from low tire pressure to frozen fuel lines and road salt damage. So, you need to check the condition of your car before winter arrives, because you surely don’t want to be stranded in a snowstorm, waiting for cellular signal and wondering what to do. Here are the car safety tips you can’t miss during the winter.

Check the Battery
Probably the most important tip is to check your car battery. If it’s fading, get it checked. Batteries come with cold cranking amps that lose charge when they get old. The battery must be kept warm during winter. So, park your car in a garage or use a battery warmer.

Check Your Tires
As the temperature drops during winter, the tire pressure drops too. Over- or under-inflated tires can be dangerous. So, one of the crucial winter car safety tips is to check your tire pressure weekly. It is advisable to switch to winter tires for better traction as summer tires get hard in cold temperatures.

Check Coolant Levels
Coolant, as an anti-freeze, prevents water in the radiator from freezing. Check your coolant during the routine maintenance before winter arrives.

Fill Your Tank
It is important to keep the heat running if you are stranded somewhere. Hence, keep your car fuel tank full or at least half full. For longer road trips, plan stops for gas, well in advance. As for washer fluids, keep them full too.

Your Brake Pads Must Work Well
For your safety, make sure that there is plenty of life left in the brake pads. Have them replaced if they are getting worn. Most often, the indicators attached will give you an idea if they need to be replaced.

Check Your Lights
Start the car and warm it up and check whether the fog lights, head lights and taillights are in working condition.

The Defroster Should Work Well Too
Make sure your defroster is in good shape. This is one of the vital car winter safety tips for dealing with treacherous roads.

Use an Ice Scraper
Keep an ice scraper handy in your car, or you can simply use a disposable grocery card to scrape off the extra ice.

Keep a Survival kit
A simple survival kit will go a long way in case you are left stranded in the middle of nowhere or meet with an accident.

Add a Protective Layer
A smart move is to add a coat of polymer wax on your car, which will create a barrier against road salt, grime, snow, and sleet. Also, take your car for high-pressure washes after winter storms, to rinse away the buildup in hard-to-reach areas such as wheels, wheel wells and underbody.

Protect Your Windshield Wipers
If case you park outdoors, leave the wipers in the raised position to prevent them from freezing to the windshield. Never use the wipers for removing ice, snow, and frost. Always use an ice scraper instead.

So, keep the above car winter safety tips in mind and you will sail though the chilly months without any hiccups.