Winterize Your Car For Winter

IS YOUR CAR READY FOR WINTER? With winter right around the corner now is a good time to make sure you and your car are ready for the cold, snow and ice. Winter Driving Preparation Checklist WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES Make sure your windshield wiper blades aren't worn down; if there are streaks or spots on the windshield after use then it's time to get a new pair. A) FLUIDS BATTERY Check the fluids and make sure your windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze, transmission fluid and power steering fluid are all at the correct levels and don't need replacing. Have your battery tested to make sure it is in good condition; cold winter temperatures make your battery work harder to start an engine. HEAT and DEFROST Check your heat and defrost to make sure they are working properly. BRAKES If you haven't changed your brakes recently take your car to a brake specialist to see if they need replacing. LIGHTS Check all the lights on your car to make sure they are working properly: headlights, taillights, brake lights, emergency flashers, blinkers, back up lights and running lights. TIRES Check your tires to make sure the tread isn't worn down or if you have winter tires switch to those. Also make sure to check the tire pressure since lower temperatures drop the tire pressure. Items To Keep In Your Car No matter how carefully you drive or meticulously you prepare it's possible to end up stranded or stuck in your car during the winter. Make sure you are prepared for the worst by keeping a fully stocked emergency kit in your car at all times. HYPOTHERMIA occurs when your body drops below 95 degrees and is a 95 huge concern during the cold winter months. Depending on how cold it is outside your car it will set on quickly if you aren't prepared. Place these items in your car emergency kit during the winter to help combat the risks of exposure and hypothermia Blanket Hand Matches Knit Hat Gloves Boots Extra Warm Warmers Clothes Other tips to keep warm while stranded: Keep the car and heat running for ten minutes out of every hour to help conserve fuel in case you end up being stranded for a long time. It's also good to slightly crack your window while the car is running and make sure the exhaust pipe is clear. Don't leave the car. Your best bet of being rescued is by staying in the car since it's more visible than a single person. Your car also provides shelter from wind and exposure. Move your limbs once an hour to keep the blood flow going to your outer extremities. Avoid working up a sweat and make sure to work all the way down to your fingers and toes. 10 mins There are many documented cases with people being stranded for weeks and even months with very little or no FOOD. People can go up to 60 days without food and there are cases of motorists surviving being stranded for long periods of time without food. Two well known examples of people surviving without food for long periods of time: 44 David Blaine who survived 44 days without food while suspended in a glass box by the River Thames in London. 21 Mahatma Gandhi survived 21 days living only on sips of water during a display of civil disobedience in the 1940s. When choosing what food to put into your emergency kit: HIGH CALORIES • High calorie protein bars are a great option. • Good ones have between 2400 and 3600 calories. • Avoid the ones that are high in sugar and sodium since that will make you thirsty. PROTEIN BARS 2400 -3600 SUGAR (X SODIUM Consider including some food you do not like because you'll be less likely to eat it too soon and will save it for when you really need it. A person can survive no longer than three days without WATER, but in a harsh environment it's even less than that. Be sure to keep water in a container that won't break in case the water freezes and expands. If you end up stranded on the side of the road somewhere making sure you and your car are VISIBLE can be the difference between being stuck for a few minutes or much longer. If you're stranded during night or during a white-out road flares are a great way to mark your car and alert drivers of an issue without wearing your car battery down. Last thing you want is to get rear ended after breaking down. Flashlight and a backup set of Road Flares Glow Sticks Batteries Being able to rescue yourself if you end up off the road can save you an expensive tow bill. You can use the shovel to dig down to where you'll get better traction or drop kitty litter onto the ground to give yourself more traction. Small Shovel Kitty Litter This emergency car kit will help keep you ready in case of worst case scenarios during the winter, but a few easy changes to how you drive during the winter will help as well. GAS First Aid Kit Gas Can Jumper Cables Driving During Winter Don't Use Your Cruise Control If a car hydroplanes or skids while cruise control is on it can cause the car to accelerate while attempting to maintain a constant speed and potentially lose control of the car. NORMAL HYDROPLANE Drive Cautiously Even if you have four-wheel dri SLOW vehicle Avoid accelerating and decelerating quickly during the winter. take your time speeding up and slowing down to help with traction and reduce the chances of losing control. Turn into the Spin If you lose control and are spinning out turn your wheel to match where your back tires are going. If your back tires are sliding to the left turn the wheel to the left as well. Keep the Tank Full • If you end up stranded you may need the gas to run the car to keep warm. • Your gas tank may end up frozen shut. • If weather gets bad enough gas stations may close down for a few days. Clearing Foggy Windows SSSS If you are having problems with your windows fogging up try turning on the a/c and that will clear your windows right up. Also make sure the recirculation feature is off. Presented By donate A car Sources Hypothermia: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothermia/basics/definition/con-20020453 Winter Survival Kit: 10 Things to Keep in Your Car: http://www.weather.com/life/safety/autosafety/article/winter-survival-kit_2011-10-30 Stranded Motorist Winter Survival Tips: http://www.allstate.com/resources/Allstate/attachments/tools-and-resources/pz-auto-stranded- motorist-jan-2014.pdf Who, What, Why: How long can someone survive without food?: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17095 The Ultimate Survival Preparedness Kit for Your Car: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/products/the-ultimate-emergency-preparednes s-kit-for-your-car#slide-1 How Long Can a Person Survive Without Water: http://www.livescience.com/32320-how-long-can-a-person-survive-without-water.html 5 Winter Driver Tips: http://www.weather.com/life/safety/autosafety/article/five-winter-driving-tips_2011-10-30 Safe Driving Tips: http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/drivingsafetytips/snow.html AAA Recommends Car Care Checklist to Prepare for Upcoming Winter Driving: http://newsroom.aaa.com/2010/09/2010-winter-driving/ CALORIES ::::