We’ve previously talked about remaining safe while riding your bike in the cold, this time here are some recommendations about driving your car this winter.

Stay Safe Behind the Wheel This Winter

Even the best drivers can find winter roads challenging from time to time. Vehicles are harder to control when there’s snow or ice on the road. The cold can deflate your tires, the slippery roads reduce friction and make turning the wheels much tougher. The risk of a traffic-related accident is greater during the winter. Before you venture out into the cold weather, you should take some safety precautions to be sure you’ll reach your destination without a problem.  Here are some tips you should consider to remain safe behind the wheel this winter.

Winterize Your Car

To be able to handle winter roads, your vehicle needs to be properly prepared. If you didn’t do it during the fall, you should get down to winterizing your car before the real cold strikes. This means taking it for a maintenance check-up; checking your tire pressure (or changing your tires); inspecting the battery, belts, and hoses; adjusting your brakes; verifying that your heater/ defroster is working; and replacing your oil with a more winter friendly option. About your oil, if you don’t want to be bothered to change your oil’s viscosity each time the seasons change, just use a synthetic oil instead. One of the benefits of using synthetic oil such as AMSOIL Synthetic Oil is that it works just as well during the winter as it does during the summer. An oil like their XL 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil should work for all seasons. Of course, you need to give it a little time to warm up when you first turn on the ignition, but synthetic oil starts flowing much faster than your regular mineral oil option. For your synthetic oil in Ham Lake you should call All Service Oil at (763) 257-3130. They will help you find the best oil for your car’s needs. You can also visit AMSOIL’s online store to check out all of their lubrication products.

Go Slow

Speed is the enemy of snowy weather. Snowy and icy roads allow for less friction, which means your tires can’t get a good grip on the ground. Your car also reacts much slower. You should be lowering your regular driving speed, giving yourself a safe braking distance by increasing your following distance, and slowing down your hand and foot movements as well. Since your tires don’t have the same grip, it takes more time for them to react to your change of speed or direction.

Check Your Tires

One of the best things you can do for your car and your safety during the winter is to check or change your tires. Tires lose pressure during the winter, which in turn reduces their grip on the road. So check your tire pressure constantly these coming colder months. You should also check your tread depth. If it’s too low, you need to change your tires. Snow tires have a deeper tread, meant to cut through snow and get a better grip on the ground. The compounds that make them up also contribute to an increase in friction. Just be sure to change them back once the heat returns because they wear down faster on warm pavement. If you’re not sure about investing in winter tires and are considering getting “all-season” tires instead, learn a bit about their differences before you buy a new set.

In Case of Slipping, Remain Calm

Sometimes, even though you try your best to remain zen on the road, drive slow, and prepare your tires for the winter, you can find yourself slipping. The first thing you should do is stay calm. You can still regain control of your car. Instinctively, you’ll want to steer in the opposite direction that your car is slipping, but don’t! Instead, you should gently turn the wheel in the direction of your slide. Also, you should avoid braking too hard. You can read some more tips on what to do in case your car starts slipping on cold, icy roads and take some time to practice your driving in an empty parking lot.

Keep Your Tank Full

The last thing you want is to end up stranded on the road when the temperatures drop. In case you do need to park on the side of the road, remain inside your vehicle until help arrives. You should try to keep a full or half tank of gas all the time. If you want your fuel to last longer, get a synthetic oil change and look into mixing in some additives to your fuel like AMSOIL’s P.i. Performance Improver Gasoline Additive.

All You Need to Keep Your Car Lubricated This Winter in Ham Lake

Lubrication is important all year around. Motor oil is what keeps your engine going and performing as it’s meant to. Get everything you need for an AMSOIL Synthetic Oil Change in Ham Lake online or by calling All Service Oil at (763) 257-3130.