Winterizing vehicles crucial for motorists

By Kurt Weiss

Local mechanic Bob Prud'Homme services a vehicle brought in Monday afternoon. His main piece of advice for motorists preparing their vehicles for winter: Stick to the maintenance schedule. Photo by Kurt Weiss

The snow hasn’t arrived just yet, but it’s time to get prepared for winter driving, says CAA specialist Jeff LeMoine.

LeMoine said good wiper blades, headlights and taillights, and matching winter tires on your vehicle are essential.

Good winter tires will maximize traction on the roads, but there is actually more to it than just that.

LeMoine said it has a lot to do with the outdoor temperature as well. When the temperature consistently hits 7 C or lower, it is time to change the tires.

And even though plus seven is above freezing, not having proper tires can still jeopardize safety.

“The reason for that is the type of rubber that you’ll find in a winter tire contains a silica compound,” he said. “And in those temperatures, that silica compound is going to respond best to the asphalt that you’re driving on.”

LeMoine, who works represents South Central Ontario, said proper winter tires is going to help you get up to two car lengths in additional stopping distance. But it doesn’t mean you cannot drive unsafely.

“You need to apply your driving practices year round,” he said.

Elite Auto mechanic, Bob Prud’Homme, agrees it is very important to have a well-prepared vehicle, particularly in the mechanical side of the vehicle.

“Batteries, spark plugs, high tension wires going to the spark plugs,” he said.

The changing weather can easily cause problems in that aspect of the vehicle, according to Prud’Homme.

An emergency roadside kit is also a must, Lemoine said.

That kit should include booster cables, extra winter gloves, glow sticks, candle and matches, and more.

The glow sticks will serve as vision if you are stuck in a ditch. But to keep warm, instead of running your vehicle, LeMoine says lighting a candle is the better choice.

“The reason we recommend a candle and matches over running your vehicle is because if your vehicle slid into a snow bank and your exhaust pipe is blocked by snow, the emissions can come back into the cabin and become very harmful and lethal,” he said.

LeMoine said by combining burning a candle and also cracking the window open a little bit, that can help against breathing in harmful fumes when stuck on the side of the road for a longer period of time.

He said the most common problem motorists call about depends on the weather. Sliding into ditches, fender benders, and even locking keys in the car is on that list.

Prud’Homme said the most important thing a vehicle-owner can do is: stay with the maintenance schedule.

“People will buy an appliance and read the instruction book, but they won’t read the owner’s manual on their vehicle,” he said.

Temperatures are supposed to hover around zero for the rest of the week, according to Environment Canada.