Apple Chevy’s Guide to Driving Safely in Snow
Everyone who has lived in and around Chicago during the wintertime knows that the streets can be quite treacherous. Everyone at Apple Chevy wants you to drive safely out there this winter season, thus we have created a list of winter driving tips to make sure you get from point A to point B and C without any mishaps in between.
Before you hit the road:
Don’t drive on empty
Has your dad ever told you the old adage about always keeping at least a quarter of a tank of gasoline in your tank at all times- especially during the winter. Well turns out, this adage rings true! You might have less fuel than your meter shows, especially once it cools, which could strand you somewhere. No one wants to be stranded in their car in 0 degree weather.
Prepare your car for winter
Before every new season starts, you should make it a rule to get your Chevy checked out at your local Tinley Park Chevy dealer. Here, our technicians can run a thorough diagnostic to make sure your car is running as it should be. We can also top up fluids, check your tires for good tread, replace those noisy windshield wipers, the list goes on and on! Apple Chevy’s service department is a service center near me that can handle anything. To schedule a service appointment, click here or give us a call at (708) 336-3163 today.
Consider winter tires
As stated earlier, if you bring your prized Chevy to get serviced near Tinley Park, our technicians will take a look at your tires. Good tires are very crucial during the winter months. If the tread on them is wearing, it’s best to invest in some new winter tires. It’s never fun sliding on the roads, we know this, so give yourself peace of mind knowing you won’t slide next time you drive home from the grocery store. For more information on tires, feel free to read up here! We go over all the tire basics and have some common tire FAQs. As always, come on into Tinley Park Chevy if you are in need Chevy winter maintenance.
Know your car
A lot of Chevy cars have AWD and don’t know how to use it. If you need a brushup, bring it on into Apple Chevy today and one of our staff can help you out! AWD is especially important in the wintertime so it’s good to understand how it works and when to engage it.
A cool little tidbit, the Chevy Tahoe and Chevy Silverado were named by Autotrader as the top 10 coolest cars for winter!
Stock your car
Make a list of the essentials that aren’t already in your car. For example: a scraper, an extra pair of gloves and a hat, a flashlight, first aid kit, a bag of kitty litter or ice, and whatever else you feel is necessary. You might be questioning the kitty litter part, yeah we know but believe us when we say it can come in handy! If you ever get stuck in the snow, the bag of kitty litter can add weight and get you out of the snow.
While your on the road:
Maintain your momentum
We are about to bring you back to 7th grade science with Newton’s first law of inertia. According to this law, a body at rest tends to stay at rest, and a body in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted on by a net external force. Inertia is what keeps a moving object in motion. Inertia is very dependent on mass, which is why it’s harder to change the direction of a heavy body in motion. Motion at a constant velocity(with 0 acceleration) will eventually change it’s direction. When you start sliding, your first instinct might be to constantly pump your brakes. This is not always the case, sometimes it’s better to just ride it out.
If your Chevy gets stuck
Inevitably, everyone is going to get stuck in the snow at one point or another. If you do, just remember to stay calm. Try to use the steering wheel to move the front tires back and forth and turn off your traction control. Move forward and backward spinning the wheel as little as possible.
If you are stranded
God forbid if this happens, don’t try to force your way out anymore. The best thing to do is to hit your OnStar button in the vehicle and wait for help. We don’t want anyone getting hurt trying to free their vehicle in the cold. If you have to wait for help from OnStar, make sure that your car’s exhaust pipe isn’t blocked by a snow pile. The last thing you want is for noxious fumes creeping into your car.
This Chevy winter, we want to make sure all our friends and family drive safe. Hopefully, you have gained some knowledge of driving in the snow with these these top snow driving tips! Our Chevy service center in Tinley Park is always here to answer any questions you have about Chevy winter maintenance, how to drive in the snow, the best AWD cars, etc.
Consider winter tires
As stated earlier, if you bring your prized Chevy to get serviced near Tinley Park, our technicians will take a look at your tires. Good tires are very crucial during the winter months. If the tread on them is wearing, it’s best to invest in some new winter tires. It’s never fun sliding on the roads, we know this, so give yourself peace of mind knowing you won’t slide next time you drive home from the grocery store.
For more information on tires, feel free to read up here! We go over all the tire basics and have some common tire FAQs. As always, come on into Tinley Park Chevy if you are in need Chevy winter maintenance.
We, here at your local Tinley Park Chevy dealer want you to stay safe while driving this weekend. The weather is expected to get messy with a few inches of snow as well as a mix of rain and ice. If you need to be on the roads, please remember these tips for driving in the snow.
