Preparing Your Car for Winter

When you live in a place like Topeka, the weather can be all over the place. You might get some beautiful fall days, where the sun is shining and temps are high, only to be followed by some freezing cold days and rain that quickly turns to ice. Winter car accidents are different than other accidents, because many of them are weather-related. The good news is that there are a number of steps you can take to prevent winter accidents from happening.

Our car accident lawyer Roger Fincher is here with the car checks and preparations you can take as we head into winter. Stay safe on the roads, but if an accident happens and it wasn’t your fault, know that our personal injury lawyer might be able to help. Contact Roger Fincher, Attorney at Law to get started.

PERFORM CAR CHECKS

Before it gets too cold, you should take a sunny, late-autumn day to make sure your car is ready to hit the roads this winter. A general inspection will do just fine — you can either take your car in, or if you feel capable of doing it yourself, check the oil, tire pressure, hose, fuel filter, tire tread, tire pressure, antifreeze levels, and windshield wiper fluid.

PREPARE AN EMERGENCY KIT

Whether we plan for it or not, cars will sometimes break down. When you’re waiting for AAA Roadside Assistance in summer, it’s not a huge deal. In winter, however, you might be in a cold car with no heat, and this can become quite dangerous. Our car accident lawyer recommends having extra windshield wiper fluid, extra clothes and blankets, snacks and potable water, a first-aid kit and basic toolkit, a phone car charger, and an ice scraper as some of the essential things to keep on hand in your car. AAA recommends carrying a bag of sand or salt, or traction mats in your car as well.

GET YOUR TIRES READY

In Topeka, having snow tires is not a bad idea. When placed on all four tires, you can get additional traction, which is helpful in snowy and icy conditions. However, our winters don’t tend to be extreme — we have less snow than the national average by about 10 inches. If your tires have a good enough tread (more than 3/32-inches), you’ll likely be in good shape. That being said, snow tires still add an extra layer of safety.

If your tires don’t have enough tread, it’s crucial to get them in for replacement before winter driving. Having good tires will make your winter commutes both safer and easier.

KNOW WHO TO CALL

Have numbers programmed into your phone to make contact in an emergency easier. Instead of having to dig around for AAA’s number, your future self will thank you if you already have their number in your phone. Knowing of a great mechanic is also a handy number to have in your phone. Again, this is the type of thing that if you do it now, it’ll be very helpful down the road.

Roger Fincher, Attorney at Law is another good number to know. As a car accident lawyer in Topeka, we hope that everything goes smoothly for you this winter when you’re on the road. However, we know that accidents can happen, and we know that you might not be at fault. Even if you take all the precautions of being prepared for winter driving, not everyone is. Contact Roger Fincher, Attorney at Law, and work with Topeka’s top choice for a personal injury lawyer — and stay safe on the road.