Snow, cold temperatures, and your vehichle

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - "Tires were bald, went around a corner, and that was pretty much the end of me," said driver Shiloh Whitsel.

Whitsel suffered a concussion from rolling his car after a heavy snow fall. He blames his tires for the crash.

"Just keep track of your tread and make sure you've got some good tires to make it through the snow with," Whitsel said.

Whitsel's tip to other drivers is good advice to take. Bartlett Ford service consultant Keith Ferger said as the winter months arrive, it's smart to get your tires checked out.

"Make sure they've got plenty of tread on them. Make sure they're not getting real old, dry-rotted. Check the tire pressure. That's a big one because if you leave it on a flat tire in the middle of a snow storm, you're not going to make it very far," said Ferger.

Ferger said during the process of winterizing your car, you'll also want to make sure your coolant is at a good level . Also, make sure you have a working, running battery. But most importantly, always plan for the worst.

"Carry your cell phone. Have the number to a wrecker company on hand because you never know when you're going to need it. Have some blankets with you, keep a shovel, maybe an emergency kind of tool kit, flashlight, stuff like that," said Ferger.

Mike Lewin said there's been plenty of times when he's been stuck in the snow. His secret to getting out? Floor mats.

"If you like to go forward or reverse, put the floor mat under the tire a little bit then try to get some of the snow out of there and it will give you a little extra grip on the floor mat compared to just the snow around it," said Lewin.

Ferger said some things to check that may get over overlooked include working windshield wipers and windshield washer fluid.

Both Lewin and Ferger encourage drivers to winterize their vehicles as soon as possible. It's hard to predict when we will see that first big snow.