Winter tires - Winter tires help to increase grip in snowy or cold conditions, and I find they also preserve the alloy on your summer rims because they aren’t exposed to the road salt and chemicals.
Windshield wipers - Inspect your wipers because good wipers can make a huge difference when you have to clean your windshield every 5-10 seconds in a storm or when road salt continuously clouds your windshield.
Washer fluid - It’s a good idea to top up your washer fluid levels and carry an extra jug in the car with you, just in case you run out while driving. I know I have.
Tire pressure - Check your tire pressure when the weather turns cold, it’s recommended to keep your tires 3-5 psi higher than your regular tires. Reason being, winter tires are softer than regular tires so they grip the road better in colder temperatures. By increasing the pressure you maintain better grip and fuel economy.
Car washes - Regular car washes can help reduce the start of rust on your vehicle and increase visibility with other motorist. A wash will also help notice any damage to your car. (Example - someone hits your car with their door in a parking lot or flying chunks or ice on the highway.)
Turn headlights on - Personally I have found that turning your headlights on no matter what time of the day it is will help you see better and help other motorist see you. Many cars now have interior dash lights that are so bright you can see them at night, but then your taillights won’t be lit up and people behind you can’t see you until your brake lights come on.
Sunglasses - Sunglasses are invaluable in the winter. (especially polarized sunglasses) The glare from the sun off the snow and ice can blind you.
Pack an emergency kit - Something simple like energy bars, water in a plastic bottle so it won’t break open, a blanket, candle in a can with matches, a wind-up flashlight, a whistle, a small shovel or ice scraper.
Learn and practice winter driving techniques - Do this before you need them, it’s actually a lot of fun. Find a large parking lot or seldom used road and practice aggressive braking and turning. Be careful.
Plan your trip, check road and weather conditions - Get an idea of the route you’d prefer to take then check that route to make sure its open or not backed up with traffic. I use AM 680 to get traffic and weather conditions; they give new reports every 10 minutes.
Remove all snow from your vehicle before each trip - Have you ever been behind someone who didn’t clean off their car? I know I have, I’ve even been the person who didn’t. Try to clean off your car before your trip, a good plan is to start your car to take the chill out of it and clean your car off kill the time till it warms up. I know it isn’t fun but it may prevent an accident.
Give yourself extra travel time in bad weather - Let’s be realistic, it’s going to take longer to get places in the winter so we need to plan accordingly. Leave a little earlier for your destination, you’ll most likely need the extra time and you won’t feel rushed.
Avoid using cruise control on slippery roads - When you set your cruise control you’re telling your car computer to keep you at the selected speed no mater what. This feature is great to get better fuel mileage by not constantly changing speed, for going up or down hills and to even prevent speeding. The downside to this is if you have the cruise control set and you hit snow or slush on the road the car will try and compensate for the decreased speed or traction by accelerating, which can cause you to slide out of control. I’ve also had personal experience with this problem.
Travel with a fully charged cell phone - When possible try to charge your phone, carry a car charger or charge your phone off your computer at work. Most phones now sync with PC’s, you can use your sync cable to charge your phone.
