Do you want to stay safe while driving in the winter? The easiest thing that everyone can do is get their winter tires on. Consumer Reports says more than half of Canadian drivers install winter tires . . . but that means almost half don’t. CAA representative Candy Daley said, “Good winter tires are the most important thing for winter drivers.”
If you haven’t booked your appointment to install your winter tires yet, then you might want to get on it. Places like car dealerships and local mechanic shops fill up quickly with appointments, especially after the first snowfall. Oakville Canadian Tire manager Hildy Graum said, “We are fully booked for winter tire appointments until December 10th, with approximately 25-30 people coming in daily to get their tires installed.”
But it’s not just about the tires. Daley also said, “A good winter driver should be prepared for anything. It’s important to have the necessities such as a first aid kit and flashlight. But the one thing all Canadians should have is a snow brush with an ice scrapper and something to give your car traction support when you’re stuck in the snow, kitty litter works great but if you can get road salt, it would help with the ice and snow.”
If you want to keep your car running, there are other important things to consider. Daley warned, “Keep your gas tank at least half full, the condensation can melt causing water to leak into the gas tank.” So, good car maintenance can make a huge difference in the toughest conditions.
How you drive is also important. Sheridan student Fernando Fedele says, before he gets in the car, he makes sure to remove all snow and ice from all the windows and on top of the car. He said, “You also need to be a lot more alert while driving to look out for patches of ice or snow mounds. I also keep a lot more space between myself and other cars, to ensure that if I can’t come to a stop quickly, I still have enough space to slowly brake without rear ending other cars.”
If you take all the necessary precautions and stay alert with your driving, then you too can have a safe winter driving experience. If you want to know more about safe driving please visit the Halton Police website.