Let’s be honest, winters in Denver aren’t that bad. We are lucky enough to get beautiful days at least a few times each month (usually), but that doesn’t mean it won’t get cold and wet too. Today we’re going to go over a few ways you can stay a few steps ahead of Mother Nature. We’ll talk about safe driving tips for when it gets bad at and you’ve got some place that you just HAVE to be. Along with that we’ll review some precautions and preparations you can take to keep your vehicle running smoothly, so that you’re always ready to go.

Check it out:

1)      Inspect and Prep Your Tires – Many people don’t realize that the reason they are slipping and sliding around so much isn’t that their car is only a 2-wheel drive, it’s because they don’t have enough tire tread. You need to have quality all-season or snow tires with plenty of tread left in order to be ready for winter weather. You’ll also want to check your tire pressure and make sure it’s up to snuff. You can find your optimum pressure listed on your tire.

1. Quick Tip: You can check the tread on your tires with the “penny test.” You just need to insert a penny in between tire tread with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head you need to get new tires!

2)      Maintain Your Battery – It’s normal to not really think about what goes on under your car’s hood. Most people just want to drive and not think about the complex engine making their vehicle go, but some basic maintenance and upkeep will go a long way. Cold temperatures take a toll on your battery. Temperatures at or below zero can reduce its cranking power by half! If it’s been a while since you replaced the battery, take it by a service station or even a store like AutoZone and ask them to check the charge level for you. That will give you a good ideas as to whether or not you need a replacement.

3)      Take It Slow – If the snow and/or ice is really awful, your best bet is to stay off the road. However, there are times when we simply can’t avoid a trip out into the wintery weather. If this is the case, make sure you slow down and take your time. The last thing you want is to be in a rush with treacherous roads to deal with.  Remember, even if you have all-wheel drive, you and your vehicle are not invincible. Going slowly will help you maintain control of your car, and allow to easily stop or get out of the way when others on the road don’t.  Leave even more space between you and other cars than you normally would. If you stay alert and keep it slow you’ll be just fine driving in snowy or hazardous conditions.

4)      Be In-Tune With Your Brakes – Knowing the ins and outs of your breaking system is essential. If you do not have anti-lock brakes, you should be experienced in pumping your brakes to come to a complete stop in slippery conditions. Remember that your stopping distance is going to be drastically increased on slippery roads. A stop that normally takes three to four second is going to take closer to ten in these conditions. Be ready and stop slowly.

5)      Keep Your Momentum – When possible, you want to keep going. Stopping on a road that’s covered in ice or snow is an easy way to get stuck. Of course this doesn’t mean you should avoid stopping when the situation calls for it – just stay alert and don’t stop unnecessarily. A great deal of drivers struggle going uphill in snowy conditions because they slow down or stop at the bottom of the hill. Instead, you should keep your momentum going before you get to the hill, so that it carries you up without having to press the gas too hard (which can lead to slipping).  Getting inertia going on the flat road before you get to the hill is key.

6)      Check Your Wiper Blades – I’m speaking from experience here – getting caught in a snow storm with shoddy windshield wipers can be terrifying and is extremely unsafe. Instead of clearing your windshield so you can see, worn wipers will simply smear moisture and snow across the window, further compounding the situation. You can check your wipers simply by looking at them or testing them with windshield wiper fluid (which you should also make sure is full). Do the blades scrape off the fluid with ease, or is it simple spread around the windshield? Fortunately blades aren’t too expensive. You can find them just about anywhere too, from Wal-Mart to AutoZone to most grocery stores.

These are just a few tips to help keep you and your family on the go during the cold winter months. You should always use caution when driving, but keep in mind that things can get a little more intense when bad weather is around.  If you take the right precautions, you’ll be just fine. In Colorado we’re still trying to achieve a goal of zero deaths on the roadways, you can be a part of the solution!

And if you are the victim of a careless driver, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.