Check out these safe holiday season driving tips as prepared by the Chicago vehicle recovery and Chicago towing service experts here at Chicago Towing.

Winterized Tires

Make sure to use winter tires with stronger rubber treads that can reduce braking distance and provide superior traction. Regular tires do not have proper tread to firmly grip snowy or icy roads.

Removing Snow from Roof

We recommend preheating a car by turning on the engine and removing snow from the windshield and roof before driving. You don’t want chunks of snow falling down the windshield while you drive, potentially obscuring your line of sight. 

Checking Weather Before Driving

We recommend checking the weather forecast before leaving on a long drive. The goal is to make sure a severe snowstorm or even blizzard isn’t about to occur, potentially leaving you stranded somewhere. We also recommend dialing 511 to check on the conditions of any highway you might drive on before your trip to hopefully avoid getting stuck in a traffic jam.

Emergency Kits

Make sure to have an emergency kit in your trunk that contains a shovel, salt, sand, flashlights, jumper cables, warm clothes, gloves, a snack or two, and flares.

Black Ice

Black ice is a severe winter danger. Fresh snow can easily be spotted, but black ice, melted ice or snow that refreezes transparently, blending in with the road perfectly, is very hard to see, and is seriously dangerous. Drivers who get impatient and drive fast- or even careful drivers – can easily lose control of their vehicles when driving over black ice, potentially causing collisions or off-road incidents.