It's may not be officially winter yet, but I'm sure you can feel the change in temps when you go outside. Here in Minnesota, we're in full "Winter-Mode" now that we have freezing temps along with snow and sometimes even icy roadways. So we thought why not take the bull by the horns and start helping the truck driving community with winterizing trucks. We found a great article from Fleet Owner that tackles this topic prefectly.

These tips don't just go into how to winterize your truck, but also how to be prepared for driving in winter weather.

• Slow down and be cautious in adverse weather such as rain, sleet, snow, fog and wind.
• Always buckle up; safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45%, according to theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  
• Keep extra water and non-perishable food in the cab; dehydration and malnourishment can cause weakness, dizziness, confusion, sluggishness, fainting and more, according toWebMD.
• Use sun sleeves, window covers, sunglasses and protective clothing in daylight to avoid the deceptive winter glare.
• Maintain tire traction and overall tire “health,” for in one of every 11 crashes, according to NHTSA, there was an issue with a tire before the crash occurred.
• Look for uneven patterns on tires, these are a great indicator of uneven wear caused by poor alignment, worn bearings and/or kingpin wear.
• Look for steam or melted snow coming off wheel hubs, as this could be a signal for over-heating wheel bearings.
• Check battery charge and windshield wipers, keep windows clean for maximum visibility, monitor anti-freeze levels and put no-freeze fluid in the washer reserve.
• Use white snow to check for fluid leaks after you have been parked for a while.

You can read the full article by CLICKING HERE, but it does a great job of getting you in the right mindset for handling winter driving. 

Drive safe!