Roads can be substantially more dangerous during the winter months. Accumulated precipitation can make your daily commute quite dangerous. Lower temperatures can even affect how your vehicle performs in the winter weather.

Although you can’t control the weather, you can engage in some pre-winter maintenance that will make it easier for you to stay safe on the roads this winter. 

Check your wipers

Visibility is crucial to your safety on the road, and worn wipers may not adequately clear snow or sleet falling on your vehicle. You may need to replace your wiper blades in the fall.

Refill your windshield wiper fluid 

Using appropriate windshield wiper fluid that won’t freeze is very important. A small burst of fluid could help remove slush or ice that suddenly develops and blocks your line of vision.

Think about your tires

If you know that you will do a lot of winter driving, you may want to invest in snow tires. If you don’t want to maintain two separate sets of tires, frequently checking your pressure and making sure your wheels have adequate tread before the weather turns bad are both good steps. Colder weather will reduce the air pressure in your tires and may also affect the performance of outdoor air compressors at gas stations.

Lubricate your door hinges

Cold weather can increase the likelihood of your doors freezing shut or sticking. Lubrication reduces the likelihood of your doors sticking when you need to open them.

Make sure you have winter supplies in your vehicle

Having a snow brush and ice scraper in your vehicle before the first storm hits is smart. If you don’t keep those tools in your vehicle year-round, putting them in the vehicle when the fall starts turning cold is a good idea.

You may also want to consider adding a bag of supplies to your trunk in case you go off the road during the winter storm. Having gloves, blankets and heavy socks in your vehicle could be crucial at that time.

Give your vehicle a good clean inside and out 

Autumn is an excellent time to wax your vehicle to protect against the ravages of winter weather and road salt on your vehicle. Before you start tracking slush and snow into your vehicle, you can minimize how much mess that creates by vacuuming the floor mats now to remove dirt.

Thinking ahead for winter riding safety can help you stay safe on the road and have the resources you need if you do get into a car crash.