Autumn Driving Safety

With the beautiful leaves that cover the ground and the wonderfully chilly weather—perfect for scarves and a hot mug of apple cider, autumn is my favorite time of the year. But unfortunately, that means the sunny days of summer are over. Good-bye weekend trips to the beach and road trips across America and hello school and football games.

Now is the perfect time to prepare your car for the winter weather before the snow flies. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably used your car quite a bit this past summer, and it’s probably looking like it needs a major cleaning. The cooler temperatures provide the perfect weather for the much-needed car maintenance. Here are the top 5 tips to prepare your car for autumn driving and all-around driving safety.

5 Ways to Prepare Your Car for Autumn Driving

1.  Clean the Interior of Your Car
Chances are you have some sand or leftover crumbs caught between the cracks of your car seats. In addition to potentially causing your car to smell, dirt and debris can also age the carpet and upholstery of your car. Keeping your car clean will make a big difference when it’s time to sell or trade-in your car.

2.  Wash your Car
If you took a road trip this summer or went to the beach, you should carefully wash your car to protect your vehicle’s paint and tires. Salt from the ocean, sand and any mud or gunk that accumulates on your car can damage the paint job and eventually cause it to corrode more quickly than it should. After a good washing, remember to give your car a good wax job to protect the paint.

3. Check Your Tires and Tire Pressure
It’s not uncommon for tire pressure to vary from one season to the next. Checking your tire pressure at least once a month is especially important during the fall and winter months. Because driving conditions can deteriorate quickly during the winter, you want to make sure your tires are prepared and will keep you safe. You should also inspect the tread on your tires for any wear and tear since high humidity can take a toll on your tires during the summer months.

4.  Check your Brakes
As autumn’s leaves begin to pile on roads, they can become driving hazards, by making it more difficult to brake and steer. This can be particularly dangerous if your brakes pads haven’t been changed in a while. Poorly maintained tires will also make driving in winter weather significantly more dangerous and increase your risk of getting into an accident.

5.  Make a winter emergency road kit
In addition to an emergency road kit with tools like jumper cables, flashlights and first aid materials, you should also keep winter-specific tools in your car, just in case you get caught in a snowstorm. Now is the perfect time to start putting together a winter emergency road kit before the weather gets any colder. Make sure to pack a blanket, ice scraper, de-icer and extra warm clothes.