Winter-driving tips: How to keep your family safe in Northwest Indiana

I think you’ll agree, holiday travel in Northwest Indiana can be stressful and dangerous! In today’s Cool Car…No Boundaries, we look at tips for driving in the snow and bitter cold.  Today you’ll learn, “Winter-driving tips: How to keep your family safe in Northwest Indiana.

Not all fun and games!

Cool Cars…No Boundaries sponsor, Griegers Motors, is all about having fun. Anytime you see an event downtown… you’ll see signs of the Griegers family. Even their website is fun! But when it comes to family and safety, Griegers Motors is all business. In today’s article, you’ll learn how to survive the frozen tundra that is Valparaiso.

Before You Go… Here is the first tip in getting there safe!

Today’s edition of Cool Cars…No Boundaries will focus on tips for driving in snowy, winter conditions. If you have not yet read our 2 previous articles that cover simple winter maintenance checklist and our guide to winter service, you might want to read them now.

Cold Car…No Boundaries: Holiday Series

• 11 Simple Tips for Winter Car Care
• Car maintenance tips for winters in Valpo & Northwest Indiana
• Winter-driving tips: How to keep your family safe in Northwest Indiana
• Secrets to choosing & installing a car seat; from infant car seats to boosters.

Insiders trick to a free winter-maintenance inspection… killing 2 birds! .

My secret? Have an oil change at a full-service shop and a certified mechanic inspect it while it’s there.  I have found some of the best car dealerships in Valparaiso, Crown Point and Chesterton offer the best prices on oil changes. Seriously, even cheaper than the Jiffy Lubes, Midas, Duke of Oils, and Genies. Just look for dealers that offer an “Express Lane”

The benefit of going to a car dealership is that they have certified mechanics that can inspect your vehicle while it is there. Most “quick oil change joints” hire kids to do the oil change. Seriously! Just look in the back.

My sponsor, Griegers Motors, has an Express Lane and boast,  “no appointment is necessary”.

Although Griegers seems happy  to give your car, SUV or truck an oil change without an appointment, I usually let them know in advance. Just use their service appointment link and put in the comment section, “oil change and winter inspection”. I can’t say for certain, but I would be willing to bet they appreciate this heads-up and it only takes a few seconds.

Tips for driving in Northwest Indiana winters

Know Your Car

Every vehicle handles differently. Get to know the unique characteristics of your car, truck or SUV. This is particularly true when driving on wet, icy, or snowy roads. If you change out your tires to winter, or snow tires, your car will handle and brake much better, but it will take some time to adjust to these improvements.

Take time now to learn how your vehicle handles under winter weather driving conditions. Here are a few suggestions I picked up from Brad Hallal at Griegers:

• Before driving your car or truck, remove snow, ice or dirt from the windows, headlights, tail lights, and backup camera.
• When snow first hits, practice driving on snow-covered or icy roads. Even if you are a seasoned driver in LaPorte, Lake or Porter County, give yourself a chance to warm up your winter driving skills.  Get to know how your vehicle handles in snowy conditions by practicing in an empty parking lot.  See your vehicle’s manual to familiarize yourself with the features on your vehicle—such as antilock brakes and electronic stability control—and how the features perform in slippery conditions. Your vehicle may pulsate when controlling traction. This can cause a panic situation if your not familiar with this in advance.
• When renting a car, get familiar with the car, truck or SUV before leaving the rental place. Ask questions about the controls if you’re not sure.  Take a look at the owner’s manual before driving off.

Stock Your Vehicle

Stock your vehicle with appropriate items for your journey, such as extra windshield fluid, an ice-scraper, or an emergency kit . For more on this, see 11 Simple Tips for Winter Car Care: Cold Car…No Boundaries?

Keep the following in your vehicle:

• Snow shovel, broom, and ice scraper.
• Bring sand or kitty litter, in the event your vehicle gets stuck in the snow.
• Bring Jumper cables, flashlight, and warning devices such as flares and emergency markers.
• Blankets for protection from the cold.
• A cell phone, a charger, water, and food.

Plan Your Travel and Route

• Don’t rely on GPS, Google maps, etc. They can not always be counted on. Keep your family safe by planning ahead before you leave.  This is especially true with bad weather.
• Look at traffic congestion via Google maps, local traffic reports on TV, etc. just before leaving. If your familiar route has issues, get acquainted with alternate routes before leaving.
• Check the weather, road conditions, and traffic. Don’t rush; allow plenty of time to get to your destination safely. Plan to leave early if necessary.
• Let others know your route and anticipated arrival time.
• Go Over Your Vehicle Safety Checklist.

I asked Joe Luciano, Service Manager at Griegers Motors, if he had any additional recommendations for safe Holiday travel not mentioned in our holiday-travel series. Joe mentioned checking your vehicle for recalls. Joe recommended Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and  Ram owners visit the Griegers website for a quick check.  (see Mopar recalls) Joe offered the below videos for all vehicles (all makes and models) and also a video specific to  Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram owners.

Check for Recalls

Owners may not always know that their vehicle is under an open recall and needs to be repaired. NHTSA’s Recalls Look-up Tool lets you enter a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to quickly learn if your vehicle or one you are looking to purchase has a critical safety issue that has not been repaired. Check for recalls on your vehicle by searching now: nhtsa.gov/recalls. If your vehicle is under a recall, get it fixed at your nearest dealer FOR FREE.

All Vehicles:  How to use you cars VIN to find out if your car, SUV or truck has a recall.

How to use you cars VIN to find out if your FCA-Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram or Fiat has a recall.

So there you have it! Winter-driving tips: How to keep your family safe in Northwest Indiana. With the help of the gang at Griegers Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, we hope this article helps you and your family get through holiday travel safely. We look forward to seeing you in the new year as Cool Cars…No Boundaries discovers the coolest things to do, interviews the region’s biggest characters and drives the coolest cars…without boundaries!

Written & Produced by Jim Jano Janesheski

JANO, LLC

More Reading:

 Cool Car….No Boundaries. Your Blog for Fun things to do in Northwest Indiana.

• Secrets to choosing & installing a car seat. From infant car seats to boosters.
• Winter-driving tips: How to keep your family safe in Northwest Indiana
• Car maintenance tips for winters in Northwest Indiana: Cold Cars…No Boundaries
• 11 Simple Tips for Winter Car Care: Cold Car…No Boundaries?
• 5 ways to have fun with a Jeep… even if you don’t have one.
• What is the Jeep Wave and why it’s so big in Valparaiso?
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Shttps://www.nhtsa.gov/winter-driving-tips

Tags: Chrysler, driving, Griegers, Griegers Motors, Jeep, Northwest Indiana, safety, service, snow, Valparaiso, winter
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