Before my kids head off to college in just a couple years, certain things must be done. Like teaching them how to take care of their cars. It’s called vehicle maintenance, and it is a necessary life skill. My husband has already started working on teaching them the obvious things like changing engine oil, checking tire pressure and adding air as needed, topping off necessary fluids like windshield wiper fluid, etc.
But some car maintenance lessons are less than obvious. What about when it is time to winterize your car? What do you need to do to get your car ready for winter? This is something your teenager needs to know.
If you live where cold weather is likely, certain things must be done to make sure your car is safe to drive in the cold on snow, ice, and in winter emergencies. We’ve included winter safety tips, a list of important steps to winterize your car, a winter emergency car safety kit, and a printable checklist for you to use with your teen, and a giveaway!
But before we get to all that, please note this required “legaleeze.” This post is not intended to provide comprehensive safety information specific to your situation. Please use your own best judgement. Homeschool Encouragement will not be held liable in case of emergency or accident.
Winter Travel Safety Tips to Memorize and Practice
- Keep your gas tank at least half full at all times during the winter. You do not want to get caught in a snowstorm on an empty tank!
- Clear your windows and headlights thoroughly before driving. Visibility is key during snowy or icy conditions. It might not look like bad weather when you are starting out, but it can come on fast so don’t skip the back window, side windows, or mirror when you scrape the windows clean.
- Always keep windshield washer fluid topped off during the winter. Top it off weekly, or any time you have driven in a storm and used it more.
- Dress warmly. We are often tempted to run out in flip flops, skip the coat, and run around without a hat even on cold days if we expect a quick trip. It’s important to at LEAST keep a coat, hat, gloves, and appropriate shoes with socks in the car if you can’t (or won’t) have them on your body. It’s better to leave the house with these things than to find yourself stuck in a snow storm without appropriately warm clothing.
Winterize Your Car with Basic Car Maintenance
- Assemble and maintain a safety kit for winter emergencies. Keep it in the car at all times. (see below)
- Switch engine oil: Oil lubricates the engine so it can function properly, but not all automobile oil is the same. If you live in a cold climate, consider switching to a thinner, less viscous oil. For example, a 10W-30 might be ideal for hot summer weather, but a thicker 5W-30 is better for when temperatures dip below freezing. Ask your auto mechanic what is recommended and refer to the manufacturer’s manual for more insight.
- Check the battery: Cold weather can take a toll on your car’s battery. Before you get stranded, give your battery a once-over to make sure it’s in tip-top shape. Check the cables, terminals and fluid, and look for anything abnormal. Some battery retailers will conduct a complementary car battery assessment if you’d prefer an expert analysis. Make sure you have jumper cables or a jump starter in your car.
- Update engine coolant: Just because it’s chilly doesn’t mean your engine can’t overheat. To protect your engine against corrosion and to help ensure it doesn’t overheat, ask your car technician to change to a coolant with ethylene glycol which has antifreeze properties.
- Get a grip on tire safety: If you live in an area where winter means driving in snow and ice, it’s critical to check your tires to keep you and your passengers safe. Each tire should have an adequate amount of tread to properly grip the road. You can easily see if new tires are needed with the penny test — hold a penny head down in the center tread. If you see the top of Lincoln’s head, you have less than 2/32-inch tread and it’s time for new tires. Also be sure your tires are properly inflated to ensure optimum handling, safety, and fuel efficiency.
- Maintain a car wash routine: Due to the presence of ice, salt, and sand on the roads, washing your vehicle in the winter is even more important than the summer. Getting a car wash and a fresh coat of wax before the temperature begins to drop can be your first line of defense against winter elements. Vehicular corrosion occurs most quickly when the temperature rises and falls below freezing. The International Carwash Association recommends finding a car wash that is part of the WaterSavers® program. There are more than 1,500 environmentally friendly car washes worldwide enrolled in the program that meet water quality and usage standards. These car washes use 40 gallons (151.5 liters) or less of fresh water per car. Find a participating car wash near you by visiting Wash With Water Savers. Taking the time to properly winterize your car not only ensures the comfort and safety of you and your family but also helps you maintain the value of your car for many winters to come.
–> Download your Winterize your Car in Six Simple Steps Checklist here. <–
Winter Emergency Car Kit
Should you get stranded in cold, snowy, or icy conditions on a road or highway, you need to be prepared with minimal supplies to help you survive until help arrives. Get a container or large travel bag ready and gather these supplies in your car so that you will have an emergency kit in place before an emergency happens. After any emergency, make sure you restock your emergency kit as needed!
- An emergency blanket for each passenger. Preferably one that will reflect and preserve body heat for added warmth.
- An emergency food supply. Individually wrapped items are best. A stash of high protein cereal bars, water bottles, and dried fruits will work nicely. If you normally travel by yourself, plan for one. If you normally travel with 4-5 people or more, stash more food.
- Emergency Flares (with batteries if needed!) and a Triangle Warning Sign for a warning alert to other drivers.
- Tire chains for certain conditions. This depends on where you live, but if your area has a lot of snow or icy conditions and low traction areas you need tire chains.
- An ice scraper. You might already have one in the car, but what if someone borrowed it early this morning on his way to work? (Ask me how I know that happens?!?) Keep an extra, smaller one in your car safety kit, just in case. These little ones I linked to are amazing!
- An extra quart of oil. Just in case that is the problem – it’s an easy fix if you have some oil on hand.
- Windshield wiper fluid. It is almost impossible to drive in snow or ice without a frequently cleaned windshield and you can run out so fast in bad weather!
- A GOOD, working flashlight with batteries.
- A compass or GPS locater with batteries.
- A large empty container with a wide opening and a good lid (female) or a few empty water bottles (male). Or you might get something like this instead. Just trust me on this one – okay?
- A First-Aid Kit. Just get one of the handy pre-assembled kits and keep it simple.
{This post originally included a giveaway.}
This post and giveaway was sponsored by the International Carwash Association.
