Winter driving conditions are tough on motorists and vehicles and the crash risk generally increases (especially if motorists have delayed maintenance on their vehicles due to the economy). To help drivers and their cars make it through cold temperatures, rain, snow, and fog the AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH CENTER (ARC) advises motorists to take extra precautions and make sure their vehicles are prepared for winter.

Motorists can be safer if they adhere to cold-weather driving and car care tips. The ARC offers the following winter driving and car care tips (they can even help in summer storms too):

Stay informed – Before you hit the road tune into radio and television weather reports to know where traffic congestion or crashes might be located. If possible, avoid these areas and continue to monitor radio traffic reports. Satellite radio providers Sirius/XM have 24-hour traffic and weather updates for many metropolitan regions of the US.

Keep it full – Keep your car's gas tank full for emergency use and to keep the fuel line from freezing.

Communicate – Let someone know your destination, your route, your cell phone number, and when you expect to arrive. If your car gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along your predetermined route.

Charge! – Cold weather is tough on batteries. At zero degrees Fahrenheit, a car’s battery loses about 60 percent of its strength. At 32 degrees Fahrenheit, a battery is 35 percent weaker. Keeping battery terminals clean helps, but a load test performed by a qualified automotive technician will help determine whether a car’s battery is strong enough for winter starts.

Get a grip – Make sure your car is equipped with tires that are able to handle your region’s winter weather. Check the tire tread. Good tread allows water to escape from under the tires and increases traction. Keep tires at proper pressure. A chart with the manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure can be found on the driver side door jamb, inside the glove box, or on the fuel filler flap. For most motorists, all-season tires are adequate. In northern or mountainous regions, switching to snow tires may be needed. Motorists should also observe storm watch advisories that urge using snow chains or they may risk being turned around by law enforcement, getting stuck in the snow, or even becoming involved in a major crash.

See and be seen – Danger must be visible to be avoided. Driving with a snow-covered or fogged-up windshield, windows, side-view mirrors or lights invites a crash. Clear snow-covered windows, mirrors and lights with an ice scraper, brush or spray de-icer. Make certain windshield wipers and defrosters are in good working order and the window washer reservoirs are filled with no-freeze windshield washer fluid. To make sure your vehicle is seen by other drivers, be sure to use your headlights, but not your bright headlights, unless absolutely necessary. Remember, many states require that you turn on your headlights of you are using your windshield wipers.

Keep headlights and taillights working and lenses clean – This vehicle equipment is critical to help you see and be seen by other drivers in stormy, foggy, and even normal driving conditions.

Keep your engine cool – Make certain cooling system anti-freeze is mixed with an equal portion of water for maximum protection.

Key solution – Frozen door locks can be overcome by carefully heating the end of a key with a match or lighter. A squirt of de-icer spray is another quick method.

Slippery when wet – In temperatures at or just above 32 degrees, a thin layer of water can cover the ice, causing extremely slippery conditions. The distance needed to stop on ice at 32 degrees is twice as long as at zero degrees. Slow down and use extra caution when passing other vehicles.

Steer clear – Steering is preferred to braking at speeds above 25 mph when the road may be icy, because less distance is required to steer around an object than to brake to a stop. Sudden braking often leads to skids. Increase following distance. The extra distance provides a buffer in case of skids.

Air it out – Don’t let frigid temperatures tempt you into starting your car in a closed garage or idling your engine for long periods with the windows closed. Carbon monoxide, present in exhaust fumes, is almost impossible to detect and can be fatal when breathed in a confined area.

Finish up – Road salt, slush and grime are especially hard on a car’s finish. To help prevent rust and paint damage, keep cars washed and waxed. A full or self-service car wash makes the job easier when temperatures are low.

Fog – Dense fog is common in winter and during storms. The ARC is offering motorists driving pointers to travel safely and defensively in poor visibility conditions.

Motorists should plan extra time and monitor their speedometer while making their commute or trip because speeding (or even driving at or near the speed limit) in foggy conditions is unsafe. It is a lot more difficult to see vehicles and also to judge the speed of vehicles you can see. Fog creates an illusion of slower motion when drivers may be speeding in reduced visibility conditions.

To avoid crashes in foggy conditions, the ARC recommends:

• Park in a closed garage – This reduces condensation and moisture on vehicle windows and keeps your vehicle in better condition and away from thieves.
• Defrost first – Before turning on the defroster, allow the engine to warm up (but not inside a closed garage). Turn the heat control on and if the vehicle’s windshield begins to get cloudy, open the side window slightly and turn the defroster to a higher speed. If you have an air conditioner, use it briefly to help clear the windows.
• Drive with lights on low beam – High beams will reflect off the fog, creating a “white wall” effect. If your car has fog lights, now is the time to use them.
• Reduce speed – Fog creates visual conditions that fool the driver into driving faster or slower, so slow down to a reasonable and legal speed. Multi-vehicle collisions often occur because drivers are going too fast.
• Partially open the driver’s side window – Listen for traffic you can’t see and anticipate problems.
• Keep a safe distance – Braking distance increases in foggy weather between you and the vehicle in front of you.
• Drive cautiously – Avoid passing other vehicles and changing lanes, if possible.
• If stalled or a crash occurs – Attempt to exit the freeway or pull well onto the shoulder and turn off lights.

What to carry in your vehicle – With legions of auto travelers hitting the roads this winter during rainstorms, snow, fog, and icy conditions, it is important to be prepared for a possible break down any time, including while vacationing, and even in a properly maintained vehicle.

You can be prepared for breakdowns or emergencies by outfitting your vehicle with food, water, blankets, tools, clothing and other gear in a roadside emergency kit should the vehicle become disabled, or if you become lost. Properly stocked, an emergency kit will help you repair minor breakdowns, or possibly survive, until help arrives.

Placing several items in an emergency roadside kit in your trunk will help prepare you to handle minor mechanical problems to get yourself back on the road or until AAA or other rescue help arrives. It is also very helpful to have a fully charged cell phone in your vehicle, along with water, blankets, a jacket and a disposable camera in your glove box in the event that you require a tow, 9-1-1 emergency assistance, or documentation of a crash. The ARC recommends the following items be included in a basic roadside emergency kit for a vehicle:

Basic Roadside Emergency Kit Checklist:

• AAA Membership Card (in your wallet)
• Blanket
• Cell Phone (charged and in vehicle)
• Disposable Camera (in glove box)
• Duct tape
• First Aid Kit
• Food
• Tire Pressure Gauge
• Fire Extinguisher
• Flares, Warning Triangles or Reflectors
• Flashlight with Extra Batteries
• Heavy Gloves, Jacket, and Hat
• Jack for Tire Changing
• Jumper Cables
• Paper Towels, Pencil and Notebook, Rags
• Quart of Oil and Coolant (specific to your vehicle)
• Reflective Sun Shade
• Snow chains
• Spare tire or sealant/inflator
• Umbrella
• Water

Traveling in winter can be dangerous, but by being prepared, performing proper maintenance on your car and by driving safely, the risk can be minimized so you can safely get to work or to play.