Winter is at our doorsteps, cold winds are blowing and the first snowfalls are just waiting to bury our roads and driveways, and preparing your car for difficult driving conditions is essential. Because mishaps can happen to anyone, keeping a few tools handy and checking some key elements before taking the wheel can save you a lot of hassle, and even your life in more extreme conditions. So here's a short list of essential equipment as well as inspection tips that will help you survive our harsh Canadian winters.
Before setting out
When installing your winter tires, make sure the bolts are tight and the tires are properly inflated. It's also highly recommended to check all four tires before every use to ensure they're not under-inflated, which can lead to traction problems on the road. It's a good idea to invest in one of those small pumps that plug into the cigarette lighter, a tool that will prove useful all year round.
Check the levels of coolant and windshield washer fluid. Keeping one or two gallons of fluid in your trunk is a good idea as well, as is carrying a small canister of lock de-icer in your jacket to unfreeze your door locks.
If you haven't checked the condition of your spare tire, jack or tire iron for a while, know that it's highly recommended to take them out of the trunk and test them once a year when changing your tires, to ensure everything is working properly.
Finally, dress warmly according to the weather, with gloves, a scarf, boots and a warm coat. They'll very likely keep you from uttering some choice invectives if you ever do experience a mechanical failure, get into an accident, etc.
Digging out your car
Obviously, an ice scraper and snow brush are essential to ensuring good visibility, but it's also handy to keep traction aids and a shovel in the car, in case your vehicle is buried under a mountain of snow or is stuck in an ice trap. With all this equipment on hand, the vast majority of minor misfortunes will be easily dealt with - with a little effort and patience.
You get stuck and can't use your car
Of course, a cell phone and its accompanying charger will save you a great deal of time and worry. But even if you remembered to bring them, you may have to wait a long time for the emergency services to reach you in case of a stall, and hence risk running out of gas. Keeping as full a tank as possible will not only prevent the fuel from freezing, but it will also allow you to keep the heater going longer in extremely cold conditions. However, candles and a few blankets will help keep occupants warm if you have no choice but to turn the engine off. It's also a great idea to keep booster cables in the trunk to jump start the car in case of a battery problem.
Emergency kit
To stay visible in the worst winter weather, emergency flares will enable other motorists to spot you from afar and thus avoid running into you, and some may even stop to help. A flashlight and spare batteries are also useful if you need to work in the dark or walk along a poorly lit road. Finally, a first aid kit is crucial to help treat injuries.
Before setting out
When installing your winter tires, make sure the bolts are tight and the tires are properly inflated. It's also highly recommended to check all four tires before every use to ensure they're not under-inflated, which can lead to traction problems on the road. It's a good idea to invest in one of those small pumps that plug into the cigarette lighter, a tool that will prove useful all year round.
Check the levels of coolant and windshield washer fluid. Keeping one or two gallons of fluid in your trunk is a good idea as well, as is carrying a small canister of lock de-icer in your jacket to unfreeze your door locks.
If you haven't checked the condition of your spare tire, jack or tire iron for a while, know that it's highly recommended to take them out of the trunk and test them once a year when changing your tires, to ensure everything is working properly.
Finally, dress warmly according to the weather, with gloves, a scarf, boots and a warm coat. They'll very likely keep you from uttering some choice invectives if you ever do experience a mechanical failure, get into an accident, etc.
Digging out your car
Obviously, an ice scraper and snow brush are essential to ensuring good visibility, but it's also handy to keep traction aids and a shovel in the car, in case your vehicle is buried under a mountain of snow or is stuck in an ice trap. With all this equipment on hand, the vast majority of minor misfortunes will be easily dealt with - with a little effort and patience.
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| Photo: Thinkstock |
You get stuck and can't use your car
Of course, a cell phone and its accompanying charger will save you a great deal of time and worry. But even if you remembered to bring them, you may have to wait a long time for the emergency services to reach you in case of a stall, and hence risk running out of gas. Keeping as full a tank as possible will not only prevent the fuel from freezing, but it will also allow you to keep the heater going longer in extremely cold conditions. However, candles and a few blankets will help keep occupants warm if you have no choice but to turn the engine off. It's also a great idea to keep booster cables in the trunk to jump start the car in case of a battery problem.
Emergency kit
To stay visible in the worst winter weather, emergency flares will enable other motorists to spot you from afar and thus avoid running into you, and some may even stop to help. A flashlight and spare batteries are also useful if you need to work in the dark or walk along a poorly lit road. Finally, a first aid kit is crucial to help treat injuries.