Time to stock up your Emergency Road Kit

 

Preventative maintenance is a must no matter the season, but even more so important in the winter. Nobody wants to be stranded on the side of the road and unprepared in sub-zero temperatures.

Here are a few things you can do to be ready for winter driving:

Test your battery, this is one of the simplest checks you can do before the weather gets cold. A battery tester can show whether or not there’s enough life left in your battery and if you are still able to start your vehicle in cold weather. Especially great for those of us who love to start their vehicle from the kitchen window with remote start. Be sure to also check and see if the connections look clean and secure. If the battery level is low, you definitely want to replace it before winter comes.

Have a mechanic check your brakes, this should be done a couple times a year to make sure you have enough brake pads and that there is enough material for you to stop in time. It’s recommended that your brake pads have at least 4 mm of material to ensure they can stop safely. This is extremely important in wet and slippery surfaces, like rain, snow and ice.

Summer is over and the air conditioning is no longer on full blast, and now is the time you're switching your dial over to red. It's a good to test our your heat and make sure things are running as they should be. If your heat in your vehicle isn't running warm, parts like your thermostat, water pump and heater core should be inspected and replaced if you find an issue.

Replenish your Emergency Kit. It's always better to be prepared than not. Updating your emergency supplies in your kit is important to do seasonally. Some things to add to your winter emergency kit include: blanket, hat, gloves, extra warm clothing, washer fluid, road salt, sand or kitty litter, booster cables, flash light with new batteries, bottled water, replace your perishable items (if expired), windshield scraper and snow brush, a light shovel and a first aid kit.

Daylight is less now that we are in the colder months, which means you’ll more than likely be driving to work in the morning when it's dark and driving home when it's dark. It's a good idea to check your headlights and taillights as you will find yourself using them more often. Make sure your brake and backup lights are working as well. If one headlight is out, consider replacing your bulbs in pairs, to keep the same brightness.

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