This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Discount Tire for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.
I love a lot of things about living in the Midwest (Wisconsin to be exact), but winter driving is definitely not one of them. As much as I like a beautiful snowfall, I like it a whole lot less when I’m forced to be on the road. And I dislike it even more (if that is possible) since becoming a mother and worrying about my children’s safety even above my own.
However, avoiding snow in Wisconsin is much like avoiding sunshine in Florida… it just doesn’t happen. Try as you might to plan ahead, sometimes travel is unavoidable and snowstorms are less than desirable. As a result, I set out to create a list of winter driving tips to keep my family safe throughout the very long winter months ahead and am eager to share it with you below.
Tip #1: Monitor Weather Conditions
As obvious as this one may sound, it is very crucial. As a child I remember the tears I would shed when my parents would inform me they’d have to cancel a family outing due to the predicted snowstorm. At the time, my young and naive self thought my parents were being overly cautious and even saw this cancellation as a form of punishment. However, now that I’m a parent I understand the incredible desire to keep your children safe. A short stretch of of disappointment from your children is a small price to pay for family safety. Keep an eye on those weather conditions and opt to stay home when possible to avoid dangerous driving.
Tip #2: Check Your Tires
Your safe family vehicle purchased with the idea of winter driving in mind will do little good if the tires lack the necessary treads. According to Consumer Report, “In wet and wintry weather, all-season tires begin losing traction long before they appear worn out and at a rate that might surprise some drivers.” As a result, it is important to make tire maintenance a priority for your winter driving.
Along with the cost of the car itself (and of course insurance), tires can often carry a large expense. As a result, they are often pushed aside from the safe winter driving essential list and put off year after year. However, perhaps they make the largest impact of the entire list of tips.
Because winter driving also means holiday time, it is easy for expenses to be low and tire repairs to be put on the back burner. That is why we choose and love Discount Tire in our household. Not only do they have locations all over the United States, but they are very reasonably priced and super convenient. In fact, Discount Tire is America’s largest independent tire and wheel retailer. With over 1,000 locations across 35 states, they offer a wide range of product choices, affordable pricing, and expert staff.
With bad weather quickly approaching, my husband, our kids, and I decided to check out Discount Tire‘s drop-in appointment. Within 1.5 hours we had new tires picked out (wonderful quality at a very practical rate), old tires off and new tires installed. Not only did we love the reasonable rates, but the time saver was huge. In years past (after procrastinating until snow season) we had waited weeks upon weeks to get in for a tire appointment. In contrary, this option was fast! So fast in fact that we simply dropped off our car, walked the kiddos out to lunch, and were ready to be back on the road (safer than ever) as soon as lunch had ended. The staff were incredibly kind and knowledgeable making the entire process such a breeze.
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Tip #3: Pack the Warm Clothing Essentials
Whether you keep a spare set in the car all winter long or you opt to pack them for each and every car ride, you’ll want to take the extra time to have warm clothing for each family member in your vehicle. Boots, hat, coat, gloves, etc. you never know when you’ll face the unfortunate circumstance of being stuck and needing to walk to shelter. This is especially important for children. So often we tend to throw our kiddos donned in pajamas into the warm car. They may have slippers on and lack coats, hats, etc. We may think we are going from one warm garage to another, but fail to realize the in-between could not go as expected.
Tip #4: Carseat Safety
Speaking of putting your kiddos in the car, it is crucial your children are placed in the safest seating arrangementas recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Whether it be an infant carrier, convertible carseat, booster, etc. it is then critical you follow the proper installation and guidelines of the manufacturer. It also critical to realize that large and puffy winter coats (while ideal for warmth) are far from safe when worn in carseats. If your child’s winter coat requires you to adjust/make larger their safety straps then they are at risk for injury should you find yourself in a car accident. [For further guidelines, please check with your carseat manufacturer and pediatrician.]
Tip #5: Keep an Eye on Gas
One of the first tips my dad told me my very first winter driving in Wisconsin was to never let me my gas tank get below half or you may have trouble turning your car back on. In truth, I never questioned this and took his expertise and parenting advice as gospel. However, a quick Google search shows me there is definite truth to his advice. Along with a whole mess of mechanical reasons that are basically a foreign language to me, it is also crucial to preparing for possible delays in traffic. Should a snowstorm result in a traffic jam or you were to find yourself stranded, it is important to make sure you have enough gas for your car to continue to run and provide heat.
Tip #6: Keep Your Phone Charged & Ready
Speaking of my dad, or his generation in general… it is hard to believe that parents once had to venture out into a blizzard with nothing but hope and a prayer. Nowadays, we are blessed to have technology on our side. Becoming stranded no longer (should) means we have to walk to safety as long as we have a charged cellphone on hand. As a result, it is very important that going out in the winter means you have not only your cellphone on you and readily available (don’t place in your purse and throw your purse in the trunk), but that it is fully charged. Best practice means you will have a cellphone charger located in your car as well.
Tip #7: Pack the Essentials & Distractions
Along with the warm clothing essentials noted in tip #3, it is important to also include jumper cables, a shovel, and an ice scraper. Additionally, as a parent, I highly recommend a box of distractions for your children. The older your children are the more likely they will understand your need for quiet should a white out result in your need for constant attention. However, this isn’t always as easy when your children are far younger. As a result, create a distraction box filled with new and novel goodies to keep in your trunk. Should you find yourself in a blizzard condition, simply grab an item for each child to distract them during the intense driving stretches.
Tip #8: Clear the Car of Snow & Ice
The snowstorm (or so you think) is behind you and all is left is snow covered roads and a vehicle that resembles a snowball. As much as those cold temperatures may encourage you to wipe away a minimal amount of snow from your windshield in order to retreat back into your warm car, it is important to you don’t give in. Throw on that coat, add in the gloves, hat, and boots and get to work in scraping away all ice and snow from your windshield, side and rear windows, mirrors, and around your tires. This will allow for optimal visibility and safety.
Tip #9: Slow Down
While all the above tips are essential, perhaps the most crucial is simply slowing down. Slowing down will not only help diminish your chances of slipping on ice, but they will allow more reaction time should another car near you slip themselves.
Wishing you safe winter driving! Buckle up, follow the tips above, and count down to this warm summer days ahead.
