Image via Complex Original
Winter is no joke, especially if you drive. Of course, we know that you’re the best driver ever, but you might want to pass this list of invaluable winter driving hacks on to any of your friends who you think could use a little help.
Kitty Litter Gets A 3X Power-Up In Winter
If you have a RWD car, you can still cope with winter. Buy a 20-lb. bag of cat litter and put it in your trunk or hatch, as far back as it will go. Then try driving to see how your car handles differently with more weight over the drive wheels. You can experiment with adding more weight if you find that it's helpful.
No matter whether your car is RWD, FWD, or 4WD, break open that sack of kitty litter and throw some on the ground behind your tires to gain traction if you get stuck in the snow and ice somewhere. Finally, if any of the kitty litter actually makes it home, you can also use it for its intended purpose. If you're allergic to kitty litter, stuff some hefty friends in the trunk. Just kidding, don't do that last one.
Floor Matts For Traction
Or, if you dont' feel like hauling around giant bags of stuff used to catch cat poop, you can always try using your floor matts if you ever get stuck. Not only is a rubber surface going to be better than your tires spinning on top of snow, but the matts usually also have some sort of pattern that'll act as more points for your tires to catch.
Bad Gift Cards? Use them as ice scrapers.
Used-up gift cards work well for this purpose, too. Or old mix CDs from 10 years ago that got wedged under your seats. Any small, thin, stiff plastic-edged thing will work in a pinch. Just don't use anything you know you'll want to use again, like your everyday credit or debit cards.
Cold? So's Your Engine
On distressingly cold mornings (especially those seen by anyone who just lived through the Polar Vortex of 2014), your engine has an even tougher time waking up than you do. Try an engine block heater, which you may already know about if you own a diesel-engined car. (Diesels are particularly petulant when it's cold.) It plugs into a normal A/C outlet and keeps your engine block warm overnight, so your car starts more easily in the morning. Of course, this will only work if you have somewhere to plug it in. If you're parking on the street, you're out of luck.
Heat Your Cabin More Quickly
If it seems like your car takes longer to start pumping hot air into the cabin when it's really cold, that's because it does. Most cars don't start circulating coolant through the radiator until after the engine reaches its prime operating temperature -- around 200F or so. In cold weather, it takes longer for your engine to get up to temperature, for your oil to get hot, and for your coolant to start circulating through the radiator and siphoning the heat from your engine block back through your HVAC system. There's an easy way around this, though: learn from truck drivers. Stick a piece of cardboard over your radiator. It won't hurt your engine, but take it off after the car starts to heat up. If you're nervous about blocking your radiator's air flow, try only blocking half with the cardboard and it will still help speed the flow of hot air into your cabin.
Check Your Air Pressure
This is important in all seasons, not just winter -- but it can make a huge difference when driving is especially difficult. Look at the sticker on the inside of either your driver or passenger-side door. It will tell you what recommended tire pressures are for your vehicle, according to the manufacturer. Rely on what your car's manufacturer tells you about tire pressure. Over- or under-inflating your tires makes it more likely that they won't perform how they should when you need them most. Also, remember that you need to check your tire pressure regularly -- not just once. As temperatures fluctuate, so does the pressure in your tires. If temperatures are see-sawing like crazy, your tire pressure is going equally crazy and you need to adjust it to compensate.
Save Those Quarters
Regardless of what kind of tire you're using, deeper tread depth = better opportunities for traction in the snow. Check your tire tread depth with a quarter (not a penny). If part of Washington's head is covered, you have more than 4/32 of an inch of tread depth. 5/32 of an inch (or more) is what's recommended for getting effective traction in snow and slush, while 4/32 of an inch is good if your winters are mainly rainy. Check more than one part of the tread using this method, since tires can wear differently in different parts of the tire.
Deeper treads result in better traction, since the snow, slush, and rain have somewhere to go. Lack of sufficient tread depth can result in hydroplaning in especially wet weather, and just skidding all over the place in snowy/slushy/icy weather.
Prevent Icy Windows With Vinegar
Make a mixture of white vinegar and water (about 3 to 1 ratio) and spray the solution on your windshield. The vinegar should prevent your window from icing up and will save you time in the morning. It only prevents ice, though. Snow is a different story.
Fill Your Tank
Keep your gas tank at least half full during the winter, so condensation doesn't build up in the empty space, freeze, and make your car difficult (or impossible) to start. It's also a good policy to have in case you ever do get stranded somewhere, and your car is your only source of heat and shelter until help arrives. You can safely idle your car and keep the heat running without hurting your engine -- though if your car is older and there's a possibility of exhaust fumes leaking into the cabin, you should crack a window while you idle.