Focusing on cold weather driving safety is important when preparing your vehicle for blizzards, ice, snow and cold weather ahead. Problems caused by winter weather driving can create difficulties for your schedule by impacting your daily routine. In order to better avoid vehicle issues during the winter, you should know what signs to look out for prior to leaving your home. This will help to prevent a potential breakdown and keep your day running smoothly, regardless of how much snow on the ground or cold the air is.
Prepare Your Car for Cold Weather
There are several things regarding preparation that you need to know for winter weather driving. It’s important to remember that all of the basic connections in your car, truck or SUV run somewhat differently when they are cold. The fluids in the vehicle get thicker, your battery may not have the power it needs to start the vehicle and some of your spark plugs may fail. You should inspect each of these parts of your vehicle before leaving home to help ensure cold weather driving safety.
To help avoid a breakdown, it’s important to prepare for cold weather driving in advance to better ensure your safety. Start by checking your fluids and adding in antifreeze before your next drive. If you have an older battery, you should check it and if needed replace it, especially if it’s over 3 years old. In addition, you should also check the belts around your engine for wear or cracking. Since fluids change in the winter, you should always keep your fuel tank filled up as much as possible, to avoid potentially ruining your gaskets due to the cold. You should also always allow your vehicle some warm up time before you hit the road to better ensure cold weather safety.
When the Weather is Cold
Keep a few specific things in mind while you are driving through the winter weather that it can also differ when driving on a sunny day. When driving on ice or melted snow, skidding and slipping on the road can make for a very dangerous situation.
Check your tires often, as the colder temperatures tend to cause your tires to deflate somewhat. You can also change to 4 wheel drive for winter weather driving, as a precaution and to help you avoid accidents. Using cold weather safety tips can help to prevent from vehicle trouble and getting stranded on the roadside.
Call AAMCO Lee’s Summit Today
Regardless if there are a few inches of snow of the ground or if it is just extremely cold out. It’s important to follow specific steps for winter weather driving. Colder temperatures automatically begin to change how your vehicle behaves and what it requires. By following a few basic procedures with car care and having a better understanding how to drive for cold weather safety, you will have a better performing vehicle on the road this winter.
If you have any questions regarding winter driving safety or are experiencing any cold weather vehicle issues, give the auto repair specialists at AAMCO Lee’s Summit a call today for a convenient appointment.
