5 Tips on How to Prepare Your Car for Winter Safety

Winter can be a challenging time for your car, as the cold weather and heavy snow can take a toll on its performance. 

To keep your vehicle in top condition – and ensure your safety – all season long, it is important to prepare your car for winter well ahead of time.

Today, we’re giving you 5 safety tips on how to prepare your car for winter.

Have you ever wondered if AEDs can survive the cold?

How to Prepare Your Car for Winter

With these simple steps, you can reduce the likelihood of a long CAA wait on the side of the road in freezing temperatures!

Fluid Levels

There are many reasons why checking your car’s fluid levels is important for winter driving. 

For example, having the correct levels of antifreeze in your car can help protect your vehicle from damage caused by freezing temperatures. Additionally, checking to make sure your windshield washer fluid is full is also crucial for winter driving visibility. 

Brakes

Brakes are essential for safe and effective winter driving, as they allow your car to stop quickly and effectively in wet or icy conditions. A good set of brakes will help keep you and your passengers protected from potential winter accidents and injuries. 

Be sure to keep your brakes in top condition during the winter by regularly checking their functionality and using high-quality brake fluid.

Winter Tires

Did you know that soft rubber improves grip on snow and ice? 

The rubber on all-season tires doesn’t stay soft in cold conditions, but the rubber on winter tires does, making them a necessary component of effective winter driving.

Winter tires are able to provide superior traction and grip in wet, icy, or snowy conditions. This helps to keep you safe and protected on the road, regardless of how severe the weather may be. 

Additional features of winter tires that make them ideal for winter driving include: 

• Deep treads, which channel snow and water away from the tire surface
• Specialized rubber compounds, which are designed to remain flexible in cold temperatures
• Sturdy steel or ceramic studs, which provide extra traction on slippery surfaces. 

Whether you are a seasoned winter driver or just starting out, investing in a quality set of winter tires is an important step in keeping yourself and those around you safe on the road this winter.

Emergency Road Kit

One of the most important things to keep in mind when hitting the roads during winter is having an emergency road kit on hand. According to AAA, this kit should include essential items like: 

• Drinking water
• First-aid kit (our OHS AB#2 is perfect for vehicles)
• Non-perishable snacks
• Bag of abrasive material or traction mats
• Snow shovel
• Blankets
• Extra warm clothing 
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Ice scraper with brush
• Jumper cables
• Warning devices 
• Basic toolkit 

From dealing with a flat tire in the middle of nowhere or getting stranded due to bad weather conditions, having the right tools and supplies at your disposal can make all the difference.

Mechanic

Consider getting your car serviced by a mechanic, especially if you plan on doing any winter driving, to confirm that all of your car’s systems are in good working order and can handle the harsh conditions that come with the season.

Us Canadians are not immune to a white-knuckle winter drive. 

Statistics from 2017 show that nearly 30% of collisions reported to the National Collision Database happened on wet, snowy, or icy roads in Canada, one-third of which happened in January, February, November, and December.

Though you can’t control weather conditions and the driving habits of others, you can control your vehicle’s effectiveness by knowing how to prepare your car for winter.

So don’t wait – start preparing your car for winter today!

Planning a winter adventure? Don’t forget your AED!