Getting your car ready for winter

Weather-related crashes injure more than 418,000 people a year. Snow and ice cut a tire's grip and lengthen the distance a car needs to stop. Snow and slush on the windshield make the road harder to see.

Tires and brakes

• Check the tire pressure against the door placardThe placard is on the driver's side doorjamb or the rear edge of the driver's door.
• Check the tread depthWorn tread gives less grip and a longer stop, on all-season and winter tires alike.
• Have the brakes checkedStopping distances are much longer on slippery roads, and worn brakes make them longer still.

Winter tires give the best grip in snow, slush and ice. Their tread is deeper than an all-season tire's, and their rubber is made to work in the cold. A tire shop can tell you how much life the current tires have left.

Battery and fluids

• Have the battery testedA battery puts out less current in the cold, so a failing one may not show it until winter.
• Test the antifreeze
• Check that every fluid is full
• Fill the washer fluid with a winter blendUse a fluid rated below freezing, preferably to -20°F or lower. A snowstorm can use a lot of it.
• Keep the gas tank near fullA full tank keeps ice out of the tank and the fuel lines.

Seeing and being seen

• Replace split or peeling wiper bladesA blade that doesn't touch the glass evenly leaves streaks, and snow and slush make them worse.
• Test the headlights and hazard lights
• Test the heater and defroster
• Put an ice scraper and snow brush in the car

The winter kit

• A blanket or sleeping bag
• High-calorie food that won't spoil, and water
• A small shovel and a bag of sand or cat litterSand or litter under a stuck tire gives it traction.
• Jumper cables or a portable jump starterA jump starter starts the car without a second car.
• A phone charger that works in the car
• A flashlight with extra batteries
• A first-aid kit
• Extra clothes to stay dry

Driving in snow and ice

Black ice is hard to see, so when the temperature is near freezing, drive as if the road is icy. Slow down and leave more room behind the car ahead. Before a long drive, call 511 for road conditions and tell someone your route and when you expect to arrive.

If you are stranded in snow, stay with the car and turn on the hazard lights or the dome light so you can be seen. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow and open a window slightly, so carbon monoxide doesn't build up inside. Run the engine only for short periods to stay warm and save fuel.