08/29/2026
It’s important to stay ahead of cold weather, because it is coming! Now is the time to prepare.
1. Keep a check on your tires! Colder temperatures will affect tire pressure. Tire pressure can drop up to 1 pound per square inch for every 10°F drop in temperature. Low tire pressure can affect traction, resulting in loss of control and can also have a big effect on fuel consumption.
2. Make sure your batteries are in top shape. Weak batteries are more apt to fail in freezing temperatures. Have your batteries checked and make sure your connections are snug and without corrosion.
3. What should be a given is often neglected, draining your air tanks daily. Accumulation of moisture in the tank can lead to corrosion, reducing efficiency. In freezing temperatures, any moisture in the tanks can freeze blocking air flow to valves and brake chambers increasing the risk of brakes locking up or not engaging at all.
4. Check all your fluids. Ensure coolant levels are full and the coolant has sufficient antifreeze. Same with windshield washer fluid. Use a washer fluid that won’t freeze the instant it hits the glass and make sure to keep your reservoir full. When you get slapped with mud and muck on the windshield, a proper working windshield wiper/ washer system is crucial. Driving blind never works out well. Also keep at least a half tank of fuel. Check with your shop before adding any type of additive.
5. Clear any ice or grime off glass, lights and reflectors. It’s not always about what you can see. It is also about being seen. In TN drivers can be cited for not clearing their glass of ice and snow.
Remember - your safety and the safety of others is of the utmost importance when driving!
Don’t jeopardize your own safety, but help those in need when you can. If the highway gets shut down for an extended period of time, remember not everyone is prepared. Freezing to death is not an option. Your kindness will be remembered and talked about long after the snow is gone.
