LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio — Just like you need to prepare for this wintry weather, so does your car. That's why auto care shops don't want you to wait to winterize your car.
Some things to consider now include maintaining an accurate tire pressure, checking car fluids, testing your battery life and having functioning winter tires.
Having good tread depth on your tires will give you better performance against the icy and snowy conditions. The design allows your tire to grip the road and push water out of the way.
There's a simple test you can do at home to see if your tires are ready for winter weather.
“Proper tread depth gives you better traction and certainly better performance in the weather and snowy conditions we have. So you take Lincoln's forehead, we have a new tire here, and insert it into the tread. You'll notice here with a proper depth of tread, you've got Lincoln's head disappearing,” explained Firestone Auto Care worker Travis Lattimore.
If the head is still visible, it’s time to consider a new set of tires. You can call a professional for recommendations.
As a reminder, having good tires or a four-wheel-drive car still won't protect you if you hit ice.
Experts say you should still drive carefully no matter the type of car you have and have patience on the road with others.
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