Winter Driving Tips

If it’s your first time driving in the winter, it can feel a bit intimidating. As long as you take the time to properly prepare, you’ll be in good shape. Alaska Tire Service has taken the liberty of preparing this helpful guide with winter driving tips. Read on for more. If you have additional questions or you need to invest in a set of tires for safe driving in snow, don’t hesitate to contact us. Give us a call or swing by and see us at one of our three convenient locations.

Prepare Your Vehicle

First things first, you need to make sure your vehicle is prepared for winter driving. This includes being prepared for potential emergencies. While it’s always important to keep your vehicle in excellent condition all year long, it’s even more critical during the winter season. Your vehicle should be winterized before you attempt to drive on the roads.

You’ll want to refer to your owner’s manual but generally speaking, you’ll be checking the tire pressure, lights, defroster and heater, battery, oil, brake fluid, brakes, antifreeze, windshield fluid, belts, and hoses. It might seem like a lot, but all of these components need to be in working condition for winter driving.

You should have plenty of supplies in your vehicle in case you get stranded, like food, flares, a flashlight, blankets, a shovel, an emergency radio, and so on.

Go Slowly

We cannot stress this enough. The key to safe driving in snow is to go slowly. No matter how much of a hurry you might be in, you should take your time and stay within the speed limit. Not to mention that you should be obeying the speed limit at all times, but even more so in extreme winter weather. This also means you should leave plenty of space between yourself and other vehicles so you have time to stop.

Be Aware of Surroundings

Being aware of your surroundings is another thing you should be doing regularly, but it holds more value during the winter months. In Alaska, it’s not uncommon to see large animals crossing the roads. While notices are usually posted in areas where this is a common occurrence, it’s still good to be on the lookout.

We cannot stress this enough. The key to safe driving in snow is to go slowly. No matter how much of a hurry you might be in, you should take your time and stay within the speed limit. Not to mention that you should be obeying the speed limit at all times, but even more so in extreme winter weather. This also means you should leave plenty of space between yourself and other vehicles so you have time to stop.

Snow removal equipment is another common sighting on the roads during the winter. You’ll need to leave them plenty of room. To be specific, you should stay at least 200 feet away and do not pass on the right. This equipment can cause whiteout conditions when driving too close.

We hope this guide on how to drive in Alaska in the winter has been useful. If you need tires or wheels, visit us at Alaska Tire Service. You’ll find us in Anchorage & Eagle River, AK, proudly serving all of Alaska.