We live in New England. An area where fall will leav the hillsides painted with colour, the leaves turn red, orange, yellow and more. The air is crisp, the morning fog will sit in the valleys... It's just a great place to be.
However there comes a time when fall ends and here in New England it tends to do so in an sudden way. The air turns bone chilling, the ice forms on the lakes and ponds not to mention the road! And soon after follows the snow. And that's what this little blog today is all about. You, your car and everyones over all safety in the winter months.
The first thing to think about is the snow. Sure, some of you may not want to think about the snow at all, but no matter what you're driving you could easily end up in a snow bank. And that's where safety plays a huge roll. Picture driving down the snow road at midnight, a deer runs in front of you and there's no where to go, other than that snow bank... You're stuck, it's midnight, there's no one around... What are you going to do? That depends on how prepared you are. So this winter, pack your car with some items that could just save your life. Some Essentials.... Flares, Jumper Cables (at least to help someone whos car wasn't winterized), a small folding shovel, kitty litter to drop down for traction, a flashlight and some blankets. And be sure to keep your cell phone charged to full power, the cold will zap that battery quicker too. And don't forget a few high energy snacks that will stay fresh like granola bars, maybe a bag of M&Ms or something else that may do your body good when you're stuck out there in the cold. Now those are just a few safety items, but you get the point...
Next is a few things you should consider for your vehicle...
First and foremost are your tires, make sure you have plenty of tread and there is no dry rot. Maybe those good tires will have helped you from hitting the deer or the snowbank???
Have your alternator checked, with the cold weather comes higher electrical demands from the heater, the stereo, the heated seats, longer running lights because of the earlier sunset and more!
Be sure to have all the hoses and belts checked. A simple belt could easily snap, especially when it's cold. And the same goes for a rubber hose.
Check all lights, monthly even. The cold weather tends to make headlights burn out faster from the tempature difference...
And your wipers. We all know what it's like to have bad windshield wipers on the car and when you can't see the snow bank you're more likely to hit it... Yes?
And last but not least are your fluids, have them checked before the cold weather sets in as well. The temperature change will make certain fluids thicker and others levels will rise and fall with the temperature change so be sure all your vehicles fluids are where they're suppose to be as well!
And again, those are only a few things to consider. Most of all, be safe. If taking the right steps to ready yourself and your car for the worst of situations you'll all be safe and well. After all, we want you around...
Enjoy!
Visit us at WWW.NWHCARS.COM and you can set a service appointment for anything. And with this blog comes a "winterizer" special where we'll check over your car and let you know if there's anything serious that could lead to problems... Call or e-mail for more information. Tim... Tim.Brown@nwhcars.com or 860.307.7152
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