Like it or not, winter will soon be here. While you do all you can to mentally and physically prepare yourself and your home for the coming months of cold weather, there’s one aspect of your life that you might overlook: your vehicle. A car that isn’t prepared for the winter is more prone to damage, so it’s in your best interest that you run through this quick set of tasks to get your vehicle ready for the cold season.

Perform a Checkup Before It’s Too Cold

Hopefully, you’re diligent in performing routine maintenance on your car year-round. If not, now is a good time to do so! It’s easy to overlook small issues going on with your car, which might snowball into real problems during bouts of cold weather. While it wouldn’t hurt taking your car to the mechanic for a quick tune-up, you should have a look for yourself at the fluid levels, tire pressure, and wiper blades.

Think About Getting a Car Cover

One of the worst aspects about having a car during the winter is that you’re responsible for clearing it of snow. Even if you have a garage, chances are that when you’re at work or out running errands, your car will be left unprotected and subject to the wind and snow, causing issues for your paint job. Clearing off your car can lead to unintended scratches, while moisture causes premature rusting. Investing in a cover for your car will help protect the surface, and you won’t have to be as careful when clearing snow off it.

Get Some Emergency Supplies Together

It’s unpleasant to think about, but despite your best preparations, you can still have an accident or a break down at an inopportune time during the winter. Even if you don’t drive in rural areas, it might still take an hour for a tow truck to arrive and do its business – that’s an hour spent unpleasantly in the unforgiving winds of winter. Whatever the situation, it’s best to have some emergency supplies handy to help you pass the time in comfort and safety. You should pack in your car a first aid kit, snacks, spare gloves and a hat, an ice scraper, a flashlight, a spare phone battery or charger, and if you can fit it, a shovel.

Come Up With a Plan

Even with a winter-ready car, the worst can still happen, so it wouldn’t hurt for you to come up with a safety plan to run through in case of a breakdown. Have a good idea of who you’ll want to call and what you’ll do if you need to stop on the side of the road. If you aren’t already a member of a roadside service, it might also be in your best interest to sign up for one.

Winter be a little unpleasant at times, but a little effort spent beforehand can save you a lot of hassle a few months down the line. With a properly-functioning vehicle, you’ll sail through winter, and it’ll be springtime again before you know it!