Happy New Year!
Preparing your work and personal vehicles is one step of winter driving that often gets overlooked. By now most of us have our Winter Tires and Wipers on, snow brushes in our vehicles, and have had winter Preventative Maintenance done, but is that enough? Safety professionals recommend that you also carry a first aid kit, triangles, water, snacks (granola bars and nuts are great!), and a blanket.
As we all saw near London and Sarnia Ontario mid December 2010 that a simple trip could lead to an extended, uncomfortable, wait for the weather to improve; leaving you stranded in your vehicle for days.
Before pulling out of your driveway you should:
- check the weather, if the weather is or will be poor assess if the trip can wait.
- ensure your gas tank is full, plan to top up often.
- make sure you can see out of every window and every mirror is clear.
- make sure your washer fluid is full and that you have extra windshield washer fluid (winter type of course!).
- put extra weight in the back of your truck if you drive a pick up (sand bags and hockey equipment keep my truck weighted down!).
- make sure you have your cell phone and ensure it is charged.
And now for the hard part…Driving! Stay safe and be prepared.