Winter Weather Driving
Winter Weather Driving Driving through snow, slush, and ice is an annual Michigan pastime, and while driving through flurries or ice storms will never be fun, there are a multitude of ways to prepare yourself, and your car for a Michigan winter.
One of the most important parts of your vehicle during a cold and snowy winter are your tires. Having an extra set of snow tires that are swapped on and off at the start and end of the snowy season will give you a great boost to traction and control while driving.
Snow tires have tread that is deeper and wider than an average all-season tire. This helps the tire compact snow, which improves traction and handling for the vehicle.
You can get a similar effect by using snow chains, chains that are fitted to your tires to improve traction and handling. They’ll cost less than a full set of snow tires, but some areas prohibit their use, as they can damage roadways. So, before you invest in a set of tire chains, make sure you’re allowed to use them wherever you’ll be driving.
If you have snow tires, H&H Mobil can swap them out for you in a pinch. If you don’t have chains to put on, or snow tires to swap, make sure you’re checking your tires. You should make sure they’re properly filled, and have plenty of tread left to help deal with the snow.
Falling temperatures will naturally decrease your tire pressure as the air inside contracts. A quick conversion is that your tire pressure will drop around two psi for every ten degrees Fahrenheit the temperature falls. Falling temperatures can also adversely affect your car’s battery, especially if temperatures reach down below freezing or into single digit temperatures. If you have an older battery, extreme temperatures could prevent your battery from starting your car, and will reduce your alternator's ability to charge the battery across the board.
H&H Mobil can replace an old battery for you, and our technicians are happy to recommend batteries that are best suited for your habits and environment. If you have a newer battery, then keeping your vehicle in a garage, or just driving it frequently enough so that the battery stays charged should be enough to alleviate any of the greater potential harms to your vehicle's battery.
Moisture build up in your brakes can cause them to freeze in cold weather situations. Most of the time, any freezing or ice build up in your brakes can be alleviated by having your car idle for a while before use.
Due to excess moisture accumulation during winter, your wiper blades may freeze to your car’s windshield. It’s important to knock away any ice around your blades to prevent damaging them. It may be worthwhile to invest in silicon wiper blades, as they remain flexible during cold weather, unlike more common rubber one's. If you have any concerns about the life of your wipers, stop by H&H Mobil where our technicians and drivers can recommend a good set of blades for winter weather, or all weather driving.
While there are a myriad of steps you can take to ensure your car makes it through winter, sometimes things just don’t work out. If you find yourself in a situation where you're stranded during inclement weather, you should take steps to protect the most important thing in your vehicle: Yourself and your passengers.
Make sure you have supplies on hand in case you’re stranded. If it’s a particularly bad day, it could take hours for someone to reach you depending on where you’re stranded. Key supplies to include in your vehicle are: a blanket or two, long lasting foods like granola bars, dried meat, or peanut butter, some water, a cell phone charger, flares, and a basic first aid kit.
In addition, at the start of winter you should have a few things in your trunk that might help you get out of a tight spot like a shovel and some kitty litter, or sand to help get your vehicle out of deep snow. A few short 2x4’s placed under your drive tires can help with traction in a pinch too.
And finally, it’s good to remember that while we all have things we have to do day in and day out, sometimes the best way to avoid the dangers of winter weather driving, is to not drive at all.