Unless you live in Florida, chances are your part of the country is experiencing some freezing cold temperatures lately… which means that now is the perfect time to make sure your ride will survive the winter. Why? Because now is the worst time for a roadside breakdown. So here’s the winter car care guide for all you new drivers out there:

Check the Tires

Tire pressure drops by about one pound per ten degrees of temperature. That means the same tires you were driving on in the 100-degree summer could be riding on some dangerously low pressure in this freezing weather. Those with newer cars (later than 2008) have tire pressure monitors that alert the driver when there is a dangerous change in pressure. However, anyone with a vehicle older than 2008 will have to check their tires manually.

Check the Battery

Have a mechanic check your battery and charging system. If your battery and/or charging system aren’t up-to-snuff, they will give you problems in this cold weather. Batteries lose power as temperatures drop, and oil loses its fluidity, which means that the engine will require MORE power to get started. So put the biggest, meanest battery you can in your car, and make sure your charging system is working properly.

Check the Coolant System

It’s important to check your coolant system to protect your car from extreme temperatures. In most areas, you’ll need a 50-50 mix of anti-freeze to water. This protects the engine from freezing up, as well as from boiling over. Anti-freeze also contains rust inhibitors that keep your coolant system from rusting. So checking the coolant system at this time of year annually will ensure better protection all around.

Check the Windshield Wipers

This often-overlooked piece of the winter car care checklist could be the most important. Changing weather will bring rain, snow, fog, mist and ice that will put your windshield wipers to the test. Without good wipers, you can’t see. Obviously, that could present some problems. Winter wipers have gained  popularity for their rubber coverings that keep ice from collecting on the blade. No matter what kind of wipers you use, be sure to turn them off before turning off the engine. If they freeze to the windshield without returning to the “rest” position, the wiper motor may burn out trying to get them to move back to position.

Check the Wiper Fluid

It takes a lot of windshield wiper fluid to keep that glass clear through snowy, icy winter weather. So check your windshield washer reservoir often. In fact, it couldn’t hurt to keep some extra fluid in the trunk for frequent refills.

Winter car care is an important skill to master. By checking up on the little things, you’ll have a safer ride… not to mention a fatter wallet with all the money you’ll be saving from prevented breakdowns and accidents. So go through the checklist and have a great winter driving season!