5 Things to Do Before Driving in the Mountains This Winter

Have your emergency pack ready and check your spare tire for damage, rust, and rot.

Without a little preparation, snowy road conditions can be a disaster waiting to happen. Dreamstime/TNS

By Evan Moore From The Charlotte Observer

For many, winter is the perfect time to take a trip to the mountains.

But freezing temperatures and icy roads can make mountain routes difficult to travel for newcomers and for those who aren’t experienced in driving in treacherous terrains.

If you’re planning to head up to the mountains within the next couple of months, here are five things to do to stay safe on the road.

Check Your Brakes

Before driving in the mountains, you should check your brakes to make sure they don’t need to be replaced, according to Michelin Tires.

According to Allstate, you can do that by:

• Listening to your brakes: If your brakes are noisy, it’s usually a sign that they need to be changed.
• Paying attention to your brake pedal and steering wheel: A vibration can often be felt in your brake pedal when your brake pads are worn out. A vibrating steering wheel could also be a sign of brake pad issues.
• Watching for the warning light: If your brake warning light comes on, you may be running low on brake fluid.

You can also inspect your brake pads by checking your wheels for brake dust, Allstate says. If you notice your wheels are dirtier or cleaner than usual, you may want to have your brakes inspected.

Prepare Tools and Supplies

It’s a good idea to bring tools and supplies on your mountain road trip in case your car breaks down, according to Michelin.

According to Wired, some useful tools to carry on your trip are:

• A tire pressure gauge
• Jumper cables
• Flat tire sealant
• A hydraulic jack
• A lug wrench
• A fire extinguisher
• Antifreeze
• Engine oil
• An ice scraper
• A traffic warning triangle kit
• A phone charger
• A flashlight
• Emergency food

Check the Condition of Your Spare Tire

Michelin recommends checking your spare tire before driving through the mountains, in case it needs to be changed.

You can check your spare tire by looking for any damage, rust on the wheel, and dry rot on the rubber, according to AAA.

You can also determine whether your spare tire needs to be replaced by finding the DOT number on the tire and using the last four digits to determine its age, AAA says.

The DOT number is located on the inside sidewall, near the rim of the tire. The first two digits are the week of manufacture, and the last two are the year of the manufacturer.

If your spare tire is more than 10 years old, AAA recommends getting it replaced.

Check the Weather

Before leaving, you should check the weather in the mountains and adjust your route to avoid any possible hazards, Michelin says.

You can use sites such as AccuWeather.com, Weather.com, and Weather.gov for a look ahead at the weather forecast in the mountains.

You can also receive alerts on your phone when severe weather events are in the forecast in your location by turning on weather notifications.

Tell Others Where You’re Going

You should tell at least one other person where and when you’re traveling and when you are due back so they can call emergency services if you don’t return on time, Michelin says.

Sharing your location with a family member or friend can also be helpful. You can share your real-time location on iPhone and Android devices to allow others to track your journey and send alerts in the event of an emergency.

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