Fall & Winter Driving Safety Checklist: Prepare Your Car

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Fall & Winter Driving Safety Checklist: Is Your Vehicle Ready for Cold Weather?

As temperatures drop and daylight hours get shorter, fall is a good time to prepare your vehicle for the more challenging driving conditions that come with late fall and winter. Rain, frost, snow, ice, road salt and early sunsets can all make driving more difficult. A few simple maintenance checks now can help improve visibility, traction and reliability when colder weather arrives. Use this fall and winter driving safety checklist to help get your car, truck or SUV ready for the months ahead.

Fall & Winter Vehicle Safety Checklist

1. Check Your Tire Tread

Your tires are the only part of your vehicle actually touching the road, making adequate tread especially important when pavement is wet, snowy or icy. Inspect all four tires for:
  • Worn or shallow tread
  • Uneven wear
  • Cuts or cracking
  • Bulges in the sidewall
  • Embedded nails or other damage
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says tires should be replaced when tread depth reaches 2/32 of an inch. For winter conditions, AAA recommends considering replacement sooner and suggests at least 4/32 inch of tread for improved performance in snow and wet conditions. You can also inspect the treadwear indicator bars molded into most tires. If the tread has worn down level with these bars, replacement is needed. Learn more about tire safety from NHTSA.

2. Check Tire Pressure as Temperatures Fall

Cold weather can reduce tire pressure. That means a tire that was properly inflated during warm September weather may become underinflated when temperatures fall. Check your tire pressure when the tires are cold and inflate them according to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure. This information is normally listed on a label inside the driver’s door or in the owner’s manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall as your vehicle’s recommended inflation pressure. Don’t forget to check the spare tire, too.

3. Inspect Your Windshield Wiper Blades

If your windshield wipers streak, chatter, skip across the windshield or leave areas of glass uncleared, it may be time to replace them. Good wipers become especially important during fall and winter when drivers may encounter:
  • Heavy rain
  • Road spray
  • Snow
  • Sleet
  • Road salt and grime
Inspect the rubber on each blade for cracking, splitting or deterioration. If you regularly drive in heavy snow, winter-style wiper blades may also be worth considering.

4. Fill the Washer Reservoir With Winter-Formula Washer Fluid

Don’t wait for the first freezing morning to discover that your windshield washer system isn’t ready for cold weather. Fill the reservoir with a winter-formula windshield washer fluid designed for freezing temperatures. Look for a product that contains de-icing or antifreeze protection appropriate for the temperatures expected in your area. Important: Windshield washer fluid and engine antifreeze/coolant are completely different products. Never put engine coolant into the windshield washer reservoir. NHTSA recommends keeping the washer reservoir full of high-quality winter fluid with de-icer before winter weather arrives.

5. Check Your Engine Coolant/Antifreeze

Your vehicle’s cooling system needs protection from both overheating and freezing. Check the coolant level and make sure the coolant or antifreeze meets the specifications listed by the vehicle manufacturer. If you’re unsure about the condition or freeze protection of your coolant, have it tested by a qualified automotive technician. Never open a hot cooling system. Follow your vehicle manufacturer’s instructions for inspecting or adding coolant.

6. Test the Battery

Cold temperatures can expose a weak battery that seemed perfectly fine during warmer weather. If your battery is several years old, the engine is turning over more slowly than normal, or you’ve experienced electrical problems, consider having the battery and charging system tested before winter. Also inspect battery terminals for obvious corrosion and make sure connections are secure.

7. Check Headlights, Brake Lights and Turn Signals

Fall and winter mean more driving after dark, and poor weather can reduce visibility even during daylight hours. Walk around your vehicle and check:
  • Low-beam headlights
  • High-beam headlights
  • Brake lights
  • Tail lights
  • Turn signals
  • Emergency flashers
  • Backup lights
  • License plate lights
Clean dirt, road film and salt from light lenses regularly. Even functioning headlights are less effective when the lenses are covered with grime.

8. Make Sure Your Defroster and Heater Work

Being comfortable isn’t the only reason your heating system matters in winter. Your windshield defroster is an important visibility tool. Before cold weather arrives, make sure your:
  • Front defroster works properly
  • Rear-window defogger operates
  • Heater produces warm air
  • Ventilation system can clear condensation from the windows
If the windows repeatedly fog and won’t clear, have the system inspected.

9. Inspect Your Brakes

Wet leaves, rain, snow and ice can increase stopping distances, making properly functioning brakes particularly important. If you notice squealing, grinding, vibration, pulling, a soft brake pedal or reduced braking performance, have the braking system inspected by a qualified technician.

10. Check the Rest of Your Vehicle’s Fluids

Fall is also a good time to check the other fluids your vehicle uses, where applicable, including:
  • Engine oil
  • Brake fluid
  • Transmission fluid
  • Power steering fluid
  • Windshield washer fluid
If you notice a leak under the vehicle or a fluid level that repeatedly drops, have the cause investigated rather than simply topping off the reservoir.

11. Put a Cold-Weather Emergency Kit in Your Vehicle

Even a well-maintained vehicle can experience a flat tire, mechanical failure, dead battery or unexpected weather delay. Every vehicle should carry some basic roadside emergency equipment, and winter is a good time to review what you have. Consider carrying:
  • Reflective warning triangles
  • High-visibility safety vest
  • Flashlight with fresh batteries
  • Jumper cables or portable jump starter
  • First aid kit
  • Ice scraper and snow brush
  • Warm blanket
  • Gloves
  • Small shovel in snowy climates
  • Phone charging cable or battery pack
  • Bottled water
  • Nonperishable snacks
  • Basic tire-changing equipment
If your vehicle becomes disabled, making it visible to approaching drivers can be critical—especially at night or during rain, snow or fog. Traffic Safety Store offers reflective emergency warning triangle kits that can help alert approaching traffic to a stopped vehicle. You can also find complete roadside emergency kits containing items such as warning devices, a flashlight, safety vest, jumper cables, emergency blanket and first aid supplies.

12. Clear Snow and Ice Before Driving

Never drive with only a small opening cleared from an icy or snow-covered windshield. Before moving the vehicle, clear snow and ice from:
  • Windshield
  • Side and rear windows
  • Mirrors
  • Headlights and tail lights
  • Turn signals
  • Vehicle roof
  • Hood and trunk
Snow or ice left on the roof can slide onto your windshield while braking or blow off the vehicle and create a hazard for motorists behind you.

13. Adjust Your Driving for Conditions

Preparing the vehicle is only part of winter driving safety. Drivers also need to adjust their behavior when road conditions deteriorate. In rain, snow or icy conditions:
  • Slow down.
  • Increase your following distance.
  • Avoid sudden acceleration, braking and steering movements.
  • Give snowplows and road-maintenance vehicles plenty of space.
  • Use extra caution on bridges and overpasses, which may freeze before surrounding roads.
  • Don’t use cruise control when traction is poor.
  • Allow additional travel time.
If conditions become unsafe, delaying a trip may be the safest decision.

Quick Fall & Winter Driving Safety Checklist

Before winter arrives, take a few minutes to run through this list:
  • ☐ Check tire tread
  • ☐ Check tire pressure
  • ☐ Check the spare tire
  • ☐ Replace worn windshield wipers
  • ☐ Fill washer reservoir with winter-formula washer fluid
  • ☐ Check coolant/antifreeze
  • ☐ Test the battery
  • ☐ Check headlights and exterior lights
  • ☐ Test heater and defrosters
  • ☐ Inspect brakes
  • ☐ Check vehicle fluids
  • ☐ Add or inspect your roadside emergency kit
  • ☐ Put an ice scraper and snow brush in the vehicle
  • ☐ Check flashlight batteries
  • ☐ Make sure your phone charging equipment works

Prepare Now—Before the First Winter Storm

The best time to discover worn tires, weak wiper blades or an aging battery is before you’re trying to drive through freezing rain or snow. A simple fall vehicle inspection can help improve visibility, traction and reliability throughout the colder months. And keeping appropriate roadside safety equipment in your vehicle can help you respond more safely if something does go wrong. For roadside visibility and emergency safety equipment, visit Traffic Safety Store for warning triangles, safety vests, emergency kits, traffic safety products and other equipment designed to help keep motorists and workers visible.

Additional Resources

Disclaimer: This article is provided by Traffic Safety Store for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for your vehicle manufacturer’s instructions, professional vehicle inspection or applicable state and local requirements. Vehicle equipment, winter tire, snow-removal and roadside emergency requirements may vary by jurisdiction. Always follow your vehicle owner’s manual, manufacturer recommendations and applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws. Never perform vehicle maintenance or place warning devices in a location that exposes you to moving traffic or other unsafe conditions. “`