Why You Should Perform Your Winter Car Safety Check Now

You may be laughing at the thought of performing a winter car safety check while you’re still probably wearing shorts and a tshirt when you head out of your house. We know, the city is still in summer mode, but we also know that New England weather can change on a dime and when it does we want you to be prepared to have your car in tip top shape to avoid a New Haven auto accident and keep you and your loved ones safe when the weather turns.

We’re not expecting a blizzard any time soon, but winter weather doesn’t have to look like white out conditions to be dangerous for you to be driving. Winter weather conditions include things like a cold rain that is falling which will make the road slippery for you to drive safely. Conditions that occur in late fall and the winter include things like black ice that can sneak up on you when you head out in the early morning hours, before the sun has peaked it’s head above the horizon and you are’t able to see the dangers that lurk on the road ahead of you. These are the types of weather conditions that can sneak up on you when we get a surprise evening that drops below freezing and doesn’t warm up until the sun is up. If you are unprepared for these types of weather conditions you could be rudely surprised by a dangerous ride.

Aside from sneaky weather conditions you will also want to get started on your winter weather tune-up on your vehicle because there are sometimes factors that can impact your ability to get the tune-up checklist completed that are out of your control. For instance, your local shop that is helping you with the tune-up may not be able to get a part that is needed and it could take a few weeks or a few months to get it and therefore you could be out of luck when the weather conditions do sneak up on you. Forget about ordering a part, the shop may also be backed up with other work and that could put your timeline off, leaving you unprepared for the future winter weather.

If you’re not convinced at this point that you should start your winter tune-up now, you may never be convinced. We hope that you are not caught off guard by these types of conditions that could leave you vulnerable to an accident.

Now on to the steps you should take when preparing your vehicle for the winter. Depending on your level of expertise you may be able to do some of these items yourself and others you may need to take in and have a professional support for you in getting them done. Here are the things you should consider taking care of before the winter weather approaches.

1.) Get your oil changed. Your engine runs best when it has recently had the oil changed and with frigid temperatures you want your engine performing at it’s highest level.

2.) Check your battery. The last thing you are going to want is to have your battery die on you, especially in cold and wintry conditions.

3.) Perform an inspection of all your hoses and belts and make sure there are no visible cracks that could be exasperated by the winter weather.

4.) Make sure your tires are inflated properly. This is a check you should perform a little closer to the winter when temperatures have already dropped. Your air pressure in your tires can be quite sensitive to the temperature, so it’s important to perform this check early and often.

5.) Check all your fluids. You will need your windshield washer fluid in particular throughout the course of the winter. However, you should make sure that all of your fluids have been checked and topped off.

We don’t want to think about the winter weather coming just yet either, but being prepared, especially preparing your vehicle for the winter months can help keep you safe and avoid a New Haven auto accident when the weather does turn cold. The other benefit to starting this check-up now is that you can do a few small things at a time so that when the winter is upon us you will be all done, but you don’t get overwhelmed now.

Whether you are driving with the sun beaming down and bright or through a winter storm you may find yourself in a situation where you become injured from an accident. If this is the case you may need to speak with an attorney to review your situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.