Winter time can be a beautiful time of year, with all of the glistening snow covering the earth. Being able to see gorgeous icicles, frozen puddles of water and snow covered trees can truly take one's breath away. In its beauty, there often lies the potential for dangerous road conditions, and many headaches for motorists. Just because there is a beautiful winter scene covering the land, it doesn't mean that drivers don't still have places to get to.

Winterizing your vehicle is a good idea, whether you plan on doing a lot of driving this winter, or not. Taking a few simple precautions will not only keep your vehicle in good looking and working condition, but it will also help to keep the driver and passengers safe when driving in harsh or hazardous conditions.

You can winterize your vehicle in just a couple of hours, by following these simple steps:

Protect your vehicle's interior by placing protective floor mats in the front and back seats of the vehicle. It's a good idea to put down all weather mats during the winter time. There are often a lot of leaves and other debris that becomes wet, that gets tracked in and out of vehicles during the winter time. These mats cost a little more than a carpet mat, but they are more durable, and can easily be removed and brushed off, hosed down and washed.

Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle at all times. Your kits should include items like a flashlight, blanket, bottled water, non perishable snacks, flares, an ice scraper, spare tire or snow chains, etc.

Check your windshield wipers. Making sure your windshield wipers are working properly before winter rolls around is very important. No one wants to get stuck driving in bad winter weather with windshield wipers that don't work, or have deteriorating rubber. 

Check and replace antifreeze. Believe it or not, your coolant/antifreeze system can break down over time. Antifreeze not only needs to be added, but it often needs to be completely replaced. If you've never checked or changed your coolant, don't let winter set in before doing so. You can refer to your vehicle's owner manual or take your vehicle to a service station if you have questions, or need help checking it.

Make sure your tires are safe for winter driving. If your area sees a lot of winter snow or ice, it is imperative to make sure your tires are safe for winter driving. Putting snow tires on your vehicle for the winter season is a great way to avoid tire headaches during the winter. If you don't feel that you need snow or winter tires, be sure to check the tread on your tires. Use the penny test to make sure your tire tread is deep enough. If your tires are looking bald, they need to be replaced before winter weather begins to set in.

Stay tuned for part two of Tips to Winterize Your Vehicle.

Source: Fiat of West Palm Beach