by Angela V The days are getting colder and colder and we have to start preparing for the winter now. Winterizing your vehicle for safer winter driving is an important task that can’t be forgotten.
Below, with the help of Hyundai Canada, we are sharing some winter driving tips and reminders that will help you stay safe during the harsh winter months.
Tips To Help you Prepare for Winter Driving
- Winter Tires: Make an appointment now to get your tires switched to winter tires or consider purchasing winter tires. Winter tires provide greater traction when the temperature drop.
- Don’t Rush: Leave the house with plenty of time to drive smoothly and slowly during the winter. Avoid making any abrupt turns or stops when driving. Doing so can cause your vehicle to lose control and skid.
- Use Your Headlights: With snowy, darker days, keeping your headlights on during the day will help increase visibility to other motorists and people.
- Don’t Use Cruise Control: Very important, never use cruise control if conditions are snowy, icy, or wet. Cruise control is best used on clear roads.
- Check your First Aid Kit: Ensure you have booster cables, a headlamp, fleece blanket, hats, knit gloves and hand warmers in your vehicle before the winter starts. If you are ever stranded and have to wait for help, having the proper equipment to stay warm while you wait can save your life.
THE GIVEAWAY
Win it: One lucky Canadian reader will WIN a winter safety kit ($50 value!) to help them prepare for the winter. Including booster cables, headlamp, fleece blanket, hats, knit gloves and hand warmers. Share your personal winter car safety essential item below and enter via Rafflecopter.
Good luck!
Disclosure: This is a partnered post with Hyundai Canada. However, all opinions and views on this post are 100% my own.
183 Comments on “Tips To Help you Prepare for Winter Driving”
Great tips. I recommend keeping extra hats and socks for all family members
sounds good to me
I always keep a pair of mittens in my car over the winter because when scraping the windshield, my fingers freeze if I just have gloves on.
I keep a blanket and extra mitts and hats in the car.
Blanket, flashlight and kitty litter (works great on ice) are always in my car during the winter months.
I always have mitts, hats and scarves in the car, and a blanket! A flashlight is good to have, matches and a candle as well. And a granola bar or two, never know when you may need food.
A shovel and some road salt are my essential winter items. I figure I can get out of most spots with these if I get stuck.
The most important safety items I keep in my car are some sand and a shovel, some booster cables, a warm blanket and a flashlight.
My essentials are blanket, flash light, kitty litter and a phone.
You’ll find a blanket, flashlight, first aid kit and shovel in the car.
Extra warm mitts and hats plus a warm blanket in the car are musts!
Oops! My email was written incorrectly. My answer was:
Extra warm mitts and hats plus a warm blanket in the car are musts!
A warm blanket and kitty litter are good to have in your car for winter safety. Great contest!
A good windshield scraper is an essential along with a warm blanket I keep in the car.
My essentials are booster cables and a collapsible shovel.
I am definitely not prepared for this winter.. I have no safety things, yet. I hope to win them – that would be so amazing!
Blanket, flashlight, mittens, scarfs!
a flashlight and a blanket are in my car.
All great ideas! I keep a blanket on the back seat (helps keep bootoms warmer as well as being ready for emergencies), I keep extra gloves and a folding shovel right beside my first aid kit.
We have a safety kit in the trunk,, including a blanket, flashlight, and other items to help in an emergency. Blankets are a must.
I keep kitty litter in the trunk (for traction during icy patches), and extra cold weather clothing (hat, mitts, coat), and a candle.
I always keep an extra blanket in the car
My essentials is a blanket
Our personal winter emergency kit in our van includes: blankets, first aid kit, a tow line, candles, flashlight, matches, boots.
Great tips. I’d add that it’s a very good idea to know how to manage your lower gears/shifting manually. All my cars (automatics) have had some sort of quasi-manual mode, which have been great for driving in tough conditions.
Booster cables are my number one.
I keep a blanket in the car during the winter. I also keep a bag with a small shovel, first aid kit, and jumper cables.
definitely a flash light , blanket , snacks and water bottles
Apart from winter tires I always have a set of warm winter clothing in the car. You never know when you might get stranded, jumper cables, a candle and my phone in case I need to call for help.
My personal winter car safety essential items are a blanket, jumper cables, basic tools, flashlight, first aid kit, snacks and a shovel.
A blanket and an extra ice scraper are my essential items.
Gotta have that extra coat, blanket and gloves. Plus jumper cables, flashlight and tool kit. Don’t forget the ice scraper.
Put winter tires on your car and make sure your phone is fully charged .
Keep a shovel and extra warm clothing in the car. I keep a flashlight,flares and candles as well
I keep kitty litter in the trunk and extra mittens
Have energy bars just in case you need food
It*s essential to have booster cables, a shovel, a flashlight and a warm blanket, as well as sand or kitty litter for traction. Make sure your cell phone is fully charged.
I always keep a warm blanket and water in the car just in case someone gets stranded !
My essential winter car safety item is windshield washer fluid so I can keep my windshield clean when driving on the heavily salted Northeast roads.
I always keep kitty litter, a hat, gloves and a blanket in my vehicle. I also make sure my cell phone is charged! Oh, and proper boots in the winter (I usually am wearing my work shoes that are not good in snow!)
My essential winter car safety items consists of a shovel, blanket, ice scraper, candle and lighter.
Dress warm and make sure your phone is charged.
Definitely a scraper and flashlights are a must!
Winter essentials would be: ice scraper, blanket, shovel, phone
A bag of cat litter! I’ve been stuck a few times and this helps give some traction.
We just bought a new car. All of these are essentials!
My winter safety tip is to have CAA. I never leave home with out it.
I always wear boots or have them in the car in case of trouble.
we always have snacks & water in the car
I have a blanket and flashlight.
We always have warm jackets and blankets.
Definitely some food and water, because the kiddos (and adults!) will get hungry and thirsty if there is a long delay during winter driving.
If I had to have one winter safety item in my car it would be my scraper – it has an edged scraper on one end and a big brush on the other. I use it for clearing snow off my windows, roof, mirrors etc. which is essential for being able to drive safely in snow.
a compact air pump is pretty useful!
they’re all important – an auto membership would sure help too. thanks
I always keep an extra pair of gloves in the car and washer fluid, scraper and a blanket
Good prize & in time for winter
Always keep extra warm and waterproof clothes. A bright flashlight is also one of my essentials.
I always keep a blanket in my car
My essentials are a shovel, mitts, a hat, and a blanket.
Keep extra clothes and a blanket
I keep a shovel in my car in case my car gets stuck in the snow.
My essentials are my cell phone, a blanket and a shovel.
I have a blanket, a shovel and a small bag of salt in my trunk during the winter.
I always carry an extra charged cell phone battery. That way, I do not have to worry about if my phone is fully charged or plugged into the charger in the car. I will be able to call for help, if needed. Thanks for the super giveaway opportunity.
My essential item would be bottled water.
My essential item is always carry extra clothing. a long wait for help in the winter could be terrible.
I have moved to Ontario and don’t have a emergency package. I would be over the moon to win this package.
I keep a flashlight and extra mittens and blanket.
Kitty litter was a must have and even trade warm clothing. Thanks!
I small shovel if I get stuck in the snow.
A kit with a candle and matches, blanket, flashlight, booster cables, fully-charged phone, shovel, cat litter, and a bag of granola. Actually, there’s a lot more, but I’m starting to think that I should just never leave home.
blankets
Great Contest!
I always make sure to have a toque and mittens.
My must haves are a blanket and shovel
I always have a sleeping bag for extra warmth if needed.
Always travel with a small shovel that can dig.
Blanket,water & granola bars.
Essentials every dirver should have in their car for the winter season
A snow brush/scraper is essential for everyday use, and a blanket and small shovel are helpful. Probably most important is a cell phone and charger, though!
A flashlight for emergencies and a candle for light and warmth in winter.
keep your windshield washer filled up.
I never go anywhere without booster cables
keep booster cables, sand, shovel, blanket and flashlight.
Ice/snow scraper. Also a blanket and first aid kit.
A blanket and jumper cables.
A shovel and some road salt are my essential winter items
I would feel much safer having this kit in our car.
A blanket and a shovel for sure.
I think it’s most important to have blankets, water and some granola bars.
A blanket & shovel.
Blankets, flashlight and water to begin with.
I always have a shovel and a bag of cat litter in case I get stuck
A shovel, kitty litter, extra mitts and jumper cables are essentials.
Booster cables and a waterproof blanket!!!
I always leave an insulated blanket in the car if we get stranded.
Winter clothes (snow pants, gloves and scarves) and some hot hands are always on hand LoL thanks for this chance
I have a few items I keep in my car’s emergency kit: jumper cables, an all-weather blanket, multi-purpose tool, a small camp stove/heater, protein bars, MRE’s, kitty litter, a few other items. I have a small box in my trunk this fits into; I would love to win this kit for my sister (who carries nothing).
I always have a heavy blanket in case of cold or stuck on snow!
I leave snack items in the car plus a large blanket in case of breakdown.
I always keep a shovel and a candle (with matches)
A couple candles matches and booster cables and a blanket and a shovel.
a thermal blanket, first aid supplies, water
I try to always have a blanket, but I don’t always have one. Could use this kit to help!
Not looking forward to winter driving
I make sure I have warm mittens in my vehicle. I do not always drive with warm mittens on, but in an emergency I want to make sure I have them in the winter.
i’d recommend a blanket, and a small shovel to keep in the trunk.
I have a blanket, flashlight, first aid kit, matches, snow brush, extra mittens/hat and batteries in my vehicle.
Definitely a warm blanket, extra mittens/hats and a charged cell phone.
such an important topic, especially with new drivers.
one would be a blanket!!
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My personal winter car safety essential item is actually items. I have a bag in the vehicle with extra heavy mittens, snow pants, scarf, toque, can and candle and a few other items.
I would love to win this as I’m not the type to usually be prepared.
I have five children so I always have snacks stored on hand. I think it’s smart to start your own emergency kit that you store in your vehicle. It’s good to have a bag with extra hats gloves and sweaters. One thing I would like to add to my vehicle would be a shovel.
With three little girls, my one safety item for winter driving is blankets, blankets and more blankets! Maintaining warmth if we are stranded is essential,
We’re fortunate, in the 21st century, to have cell phones to use in case of emergency. It’s so important to have a phone with you, even if it’s only for emergency use.
i can’t live without my windshield scraper
For me it is mittens and a toque. I often leave home without them and I think they would be a must if I were to get stranded or stuck in the cold.
My essentials are blankets and flaslight
i need windshield scraper,entry pls
I always have blankets and a snack with me.
Always keep a blanket and shovel, but could definitely do with a better kit.
My essential winter item is a blanket and ice scraper/snow remover.
always have some granola bars and candles in your car
A warm blanket.
I always keep a blanket and flashlight in the car.
always extra winter clothes, mittens and scarves and the such. a blanket and a light
I always have warm gloves and a flashlight in my car.
Great info and thanks the reminder to get the rest of my winter gear into the car.
A candle
You would be shocked how much heat can come of a candle in a cold vehicle
Always keep a blanket, an extra set of clothes, and water in the car.
Warm blanket, cell phone and tire repair kit
We dont get very cold here.. but I always have extra gloves and a flashlight in the car.
My essential would be a blamket
Blanket, shovel & a flashlight!
Definitely a warm blanket would be an essential.
VERY USEFUL AND GREAT GIFT
Blankets, blankets and more blankets with some snacks!!
Spare socks and shoes/boots.
I make sure to have my cell phone
My care winter safety essential is winter tires and shovel.
I always keep a small shovel and extra salt in the car just in case! Thanks for the chance!
I don’t drive, but if I did, I would make sure Id have a warm blanket, flash light, and one of those portable battery charger for phone, phone, water, snacks and first aid kit.
A shovel and my cell phone 😉
We get a lot of snow….a windshield scraper
Always have extra winter gear for road trips just in case. And a candle with waterproof matches.
My essential is a flashlight and a blanket.
Blanket, flashlight, booster cables and water
For me booster cables are essential! Thanks
This is such a good idea to have in case of an emergency!!
A sleeping bag and first aid kit
It might sound silly but our essential is a small candle in a tin can to provide heat if needed.
We always have a blanket, scraper, and flashlight in the van.
I keep blankets and extra hata and mitts in the trunk.
Thanks for the chance.
I also keep and extra outfit and change of footwear and always make sure my cell phone is fully charged.
My cellphone is probably the best lifeline I have in the car!
This is an awesome giveaway!
A warm blanket and a candle!!
extra blanket for sure
I also keep blankets in the trunk, just in case we get stranded.
In my car, I keep a shovel (to dig me out if my vechile gets stuck), a blanket, snacks, a portable battery booster box with cables, and one time use heat packs.
My essential item is a blanket.
i keep a shovel in the trunk
A blanket is an essential item for winter safety.
Salt. ..ice scraper
It gets very cold where I live, so things like extra mittens and a blanket are a must.
Charged cell phone and blankets
I alays keep some kitty litter in the car in case I get stuck
We always have booster cables and blankets in the vehicle
I keep extra hats and mittens in the vehicle.
i always keep a warm blanket, flashlight and water in my car
A flashlight is important.
My cellphone, but i could sure use all the stuff you are giving away.
Cool love the Mayka Tape
Flares so traffic can see you in the dark.
I have a blanket and I know I should have more.
An essential item is a blanket.
Cell phone.
i always keep a shovel and a first aid kit in my car
Why is it that people are always taken by surprise when it snows for the first time here in the Prairies. With the first sign of snow I have my winter tires put on, it’s way too dangerous without them.
Thanks for sharing this article, it sure will help a lot of people like me.