In September, my husband had a seminar in British Columbia on the weekends. He commuted to that seminar without the kids and I. It was lovely to stay home for a bit longer with our new baby, Little Man. While he was driving the five hours back and forth during the week something terrible happened to our trusty little Honda Civic. Our air conditioning went out. We did not get a chance to repair it yet but will have to soon.
With this auto repair cost coming up and with the holidays and winter coming, I have been thinking about travel and winter driving. Icy roads and snow will be here before you know it. {What happened to 2012?} So since we are a traveling family, I wanted to share some winter driving tips with you all.
10 Winter Driving Tips
- Check tires for inflation and tread
- Check wind shield wipers and top off the fluid
- Check the defroster, heater and exhaust system
- Check your anti-freeze (for most areas you need a 50/50 mix of coolant and water)
- Check your battery charge
- Keep your gas tank close to full at all times
- Have a travel safety kit – ice scraper, de-icer, cell phone, extra key, food, water, blanket, matches, flashlight
- Know how to recover from skids
- Always allow enough time between the car in front of you
- Carry chains
We don’t get a lot of winter weather in the Seattle area but since we travel all over the country for my husband’s work, we often are in states that do get a lot of ice and snow. We like to keep our family safe and follow these winter driving tips as best as possible.
What other winter driving tips do you have to add?
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Great tips! I live in Buffalo, NY, so I know what it’s like to get stuck in a snowstorm. A travel safety kit is definitely a smart tip!
I always carry chains in my car where I live…has helped me more times than I can count (and others too).
Living in WI we get lots of snow, and I actually learned some driving tips watching a show (not sure what it was, documentary or DIY or something).
Anyway, when you are driving in slippery conditions, you can never do more than one thing at a time. The three things available to do are speed up, slow down, and turn. If you try to turn while braking…you will slide. Slow down first, then turn. Same with speeding up and turning. Keep that in mind and you will be okay!
You might want to think about CAA/AAA. Better to be safe than sorry. Sucks about the AC.
Thanks for posting eligibility in your “Current Giveaways” section. Eh!?
Besos, Sarah
Zookeeper at Journeys of The Zoo
Thank you for these useful tips, indeed if people are ready/cautious more accidents can be prevented from happening especially during winter season…
Those are some great tips! I live in Michigan and I wish everyone knew how to drive in the snow. 🙁
If you notice that your car tires have become worn out or the car fluids are continuously leaking out or you regularly overlook the dashboard warning lights and still you neglect taking the vehicle to a mechanic, you may incur heavy repair bills when you finally decide to get your precious vehicle repaired. Better would be to do a regular check up of your car to avoid such heavy costs on automotive repairs at one go. It has been noticed that several US citizens, including those residing in cities like Tyler and Henderson have their precious cars checked on a regular basis.
Weather conditions can change quickly, placing extra demands on your vehicle and your driving skills. Keep your focus on the road and on other vehicles. Eliminate all distractions and make sure you are well rested.
Thank you for these auto repair useful tips, indeed if people are ready/cautious more accidents can be prevented from happening especially during winter season. we should prepare for it.