Living in Texas, you may not need this information as much as someone who lives in Montana, but as recent events have proven, anything can happen! It is always good to be prepared for winter driving conditions, whether you have surprise snow in your hometown or encounter winter conditions during a road trip.

Always make sure your car’s maintenance is up to code. Tires, oil, wiper fluid, etc. This goes for any road conditions but especially ones that some balding tires could end you up in a bad situation.

It is always good to have a duffle bag in the trunk with a blanket, flashlight, water bottles, granola bars, etc. You never know when you could be stranded on an interstate due to an accident miles ahead of you.

When driving in winter conditions, always leave your Cruise Control off. This can cause you to lose control if you hit a slick spot with your Cruise on.

If you are approaching a slick or snowy spot in the road ahead of you, do not hit your brakes, take your foot off the gas and keep the wheel straight. You should glide right over as opposed to hitting brakes on top of an ice patch causing you to lose control.

If your parked car is covered in snow, make sure to clear it all off. Don’t just wipe away part of the windshield so you can sort of see out of it! Make sure to get the top of your vehicle too, no one wants your snow pile from your roof hitting them at 50mph!

If it is actively snowing or raining make sure your headlights are turned on, this helps other drivers see you when the visibility may not be favorable.

As always, keep calm and collected when driving in these types of conditions. You need to keep a larger distance between you and the cars in front of you and always make sure you are looking ahead to watch for accidents so you are able to stop in time.