The most important thing to stay safe while driving in the winter is to keep your car ready for the season. This involves a maintenance check-up, which is important to ensure lights, heaters, battery, steering, brakes, and other components are functioning smoothly.

Here is a checklist of things you must take heed of to drive safe in winter:

Get your car winter-ready

• Test the battery as it may lose power when the temperature drops
• Maintain at least half tank of gas to avoid gas line freeze
• Ensure the cooling system is functioning properly
• Add wiper fluid, which is rated for minus 30 degrees
• Install winter tires that offer deeper and flexible tread
• Check wiper blades and replace these if necessary
• Ensure the tread is not below 2/32 of an inch if you have all-weather tires
• Check the pressure in the tires as it decreases with a drop in temperature

Have a winter driving safety kit of the following items

• Strong snow brush and ice scraper
• Shovel
• Gloves and other winter clothing
• Blanket
• Reflectors, matches, and emergency flares
• First-aid kit
• Extra windshield washer fluid
• Flashlight
• Chain or rope
• Jumper cables
• A small tool kit
• Sunglasses
• Mobile charger
• Water and non-perishable snacks
• Salt and sandbags

Remember these things before heading out

• Clean the external camera lenses and side mirrors to ensure you are able to see the surroundings
• Wait for the conditions to improve if the forecast is not good; however, if you still need to head out share your travel route and plans with someone
• Remove the snow, ice, and dirt from the sensors to ensure assistive-driving features like emergency brakes
• Ensure you do not leave your car running in the garage (even if the door is up) to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
• Warm up the car a little before driving out in frigid temperatures

Understand how to prevent a crash
A huge part of the checklist to drive safe in winter is to ensure you are well-prepared in case of emergencies, but it also involves the prevention of such scenarios.  

• Refrain from using cruise control during the winter season
• Avoid stopping while driving uphill
• Steer in the same direction to ensure you do not have to overcorrect to remain in your lane when the wheels regain traction in case of a skid
• Increase the following distance between eight and ten seconds
• Decelerate and accelerate at slower speeds

Know the capabilities of your car

• Search online to find out the existing in-built safety features of your car
• Have knowledge of certain important features. Most new cars come with traction control, which is beneficial for the vehicle to gain traction on wet, snowy, or icy surfaces, especially when you accelerate from a slow position or start driving or while going uphill
• Make use of the key safety features; the anti-lock braking system (ABS) restores traction to the tires in case of emergencies and is a standard feature on most cars. The ABS may pulse or vibrate, and you should continue pressing and holding pressure to the brake pedal

The above checklist to drive safe in winter is important to remember. Be sure to drive slowly and take all the necessary precautions to ensure your safety.