As Winter Weather Approaches, Officials Say It’s Time To Winterize Your Car

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Just when it appeared October would end without any snow and relatively mild temperatures, Mother Nature dropped a dusting along the Wasatch front and meteorologists forecasted record low temperatures across the state in the days leading up to Halloween. And that means it’s time to winterize your car.

No matter how many times it’s rolled in, preparing for winter weather has a way of catching many of us off guard.

“I think it is a little early,” said Jake Burt, who owns Burt Brothers Tire and Service. He said peak season for winterizing your car is typically October to April. But he remembers it starting late in November and December the last couple of years.

In any case, the weekend’s light snow and the forecasted record temperatures mean more business for tire shops like Burt Brothers.

“The frenzy has officially begun,” Burt said on Monday, as the parking lot at the Cottonwood Heights location filled up.

“If you look outside today, there’s plenty of people,” said Jack Horwitz, who was following up on his visit from last week when he had winter tires installed on his car. “I’d sooner be a little early than a little later.”

Horowitz has been around long enough to know he should have his car ready before Halloween.

“I’ve lived here all my life,” he said.

But when it comes to preparing his car for the cold, it’s his wife’s life he’s concerned about.

“I don’t want her out on the street broken down someplace, in the dark,” Horwitz said. “That’s why I do it.”

Burt also suggested winter tires, especially if you plan to drive through Utah’s canyons through the season.

“Usually with any kind of tire you can get going,” Burt said. “But it’s really being able to stop that really becomes crucial when you need it most.”

The freezing temperatures, snowfall and potentially icy roads significantly increase the distance it takes for you to stop your vehicle. “So, a 20-foot stopping distance turned into about 80 feet,” Burt said.

Having the right tire and enough tread are key to keeping you safe. One way to tell if it’s time for a new tire is to do the “Lincoln test.” Stick a penny in between the tire’s tread with Lincoln’s head upside down. If you can see the top of his head, Burt said it’s time to replace those tires.

“The biting edges on the new tire right here is what gives the traction. That’s what helps you stop,” he said.

Aside from your tires, Burt suggested getting your car’s fluids, lights and wipers checked. Even packing some water and an extra jacket or blanket in your car in case you get stranded. Because no matter how many times you’ve driven through it, you never know when the winter weather may catch you off guard.

“You have family members and people out there that love you,” Burt said. “They want you to come home safe, and we do too.”

And before you get on the road, the West Jordan Police Department posted this reminder, “Please remember with this cold that car stealing season is upon us. Be careful with warmups.”