With the official start of winter just around the corner, many people are dreading poor winter weather conditions. Icy roads, high winds and lack of road salt can make driving and maintaining a vehicle through the winter a challenge.
The National Safety Council offers these vehicle maintenance tips for a safe winter driving season:
· Check wipers and replace them if they show any signs of damage or aging. Also, check tires for wear. If a tire’s tread is less than 1.6 millimeters, the tire needs to be replaced.
· Only use winter or rubber floor mats specifically designed for your car. Mats flipped upside down or piled on top of one another can interfere with the pedals while driving.
· Check oil and other fluid levels. Only use the viscosity of oil called for in the owner’s manual.
· Make sure windshield washer fluid contains antifreeze. The wind chill of air moving against the windshield at even 30 mph can cause many washer fluids to freeze.
· Inspect the battery for corrosion, cracks, loose terminal connections and loose hold-down clamps.
· Update the emergency equipment in your car. Items to store include tire chains, a window scraper, a bag of sand or salt, flares, folding triangles, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Even if your vehicle is prepared for the winter, poor road conditions require sound judgment, patience and flexibility. Drive with caution and be sure to accelerate and brake gently. Leave plenty of distance between your car and others. Before traveling in bad weather, ask yourself, “Is this trip necessary?”
NSC offers defensive driving courses, including DDC-4, DDC-6 and Alive at 25 to improve driver safety. For more safe driving information, visit NSC’s Web site.
The National Safety Council (www.nsc.org) saves lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the roads, through leadership, research, education and advocacy.
