PennDOT’s Recommendations for Getting Your Car Ready for Winter

Well, winter has arrived in Pennsylvania in full force! The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Transportation (“PennDOT”) has some very helpful tips for safe winter driving on its highway safety website, www.JustDrivePA.org. The lawyers at Liever, Hyman & Potter in Reading wanted to share a portion of this important, and timely, information concerning getting your car ready for winter:

“Preparation is one key to successfully navigating winter roads. Winter weather can bring unexpected conditions, so make sure that your vehicle is ready for ice and snow. Prior to the winter driving season, you should have a mechanic check the brakes, battery, hoses, and belts. Below are some additional tips for getting your vehicle ready for winter.

• Check that your fluid levels are full.
• Make sure your wipers don’t streak. You may want to consider installing winter wiper blades.
• Ensure that your heater and defroster are working properly.
• Check that your vehicle’s radio is working properly so you can receive weather and traffic reports.
• Make sure all lights are working.
• Check to be sure that tires are properly inflated and have sufficient tread depth.
• If you live in an area prone to heavy snow, you may want to use dedicated snow tires on your vehicle or carry a set of tire chains. At a minimum, your all-weather tires should be mud and snow rated.
• In the event of a problem, contact a mechanic immediately.”

(Source: www.JustDrivePA.org, Traffic Safety Information Topics, Winter Driving, January 8, 2015).