Prepare for winter driving

With winter weather already hitting many parts of Iowa, it’s time to prepare ourselves and our vehicles for winter driving.

To minimize the possibility of a breakdown, winterize your vehicle and get it tuned up. Check your wipers, hoses, battery, alternator, belts, tires, brakes, exhaust system, lights and fluid levels. Make sure your heater and defroster are working.

Then put together an emergency survival kit. In addition to carrying a mobile phone, you’ll also want to pack booster cables, blankets or sleeping bags, candles and matches, and snow shovel and ice scraper.

Call 511 for current road conditions. When planning a trip, go to www.511ia.org, where you’ll get real-time updates, streaming video from traffic cameras and a dynamic map.

For more information about trip preparedness, winter driving tips and what to put in your vehicle’s survival kit, go to www.iowadot.gov/maintenance/winterSafety.html.