There’s not much you can do, living here in McHenry to put the brakes on winter driving: that you can somehow bring an early end to winter or the driving conditions it causes here in the McHenry area. As long as you’re stuck driving in winter conditions, the question is whether your brakes are up to the task.

Winter isn’t convenient for McHenry area drivers. It tests your driving ability to the max. But, there are things you can do to make it easier to pass the test and safely drive until winter is past. Making sure you have good brakes is part of that.

Making sure your car will start and run in the winter is important. Making sure your steering and suspension are in good condition is important. Having good tires on your car is critical this time of year. But, none of this is more important than having good brakes.

Let’s suppose you have good snow tires on your car. That will definitely help when you’re heading westbound on Route 120 through downtown McHenry and someone pulls out in front of your from Route 31. But, if your brakes aren’t in good condition, the benefits of those quality tires are offset by the limitations of your brakes.

The ability of your vehicle to stop is measured by the distance required at a given speed. When these tests are done, they’re generally done on perfect roads – dry, clean and level roads. But, situations, where we count on our brakes, don’t always occur on dry, clean and level roads. Your brakes may need to be better than they test out in optimal situations.

How do you know your brakes are at their best? Have them checked. You don’t even need to make a special trip to your auto repair shop. The next time you bring your car in for an oil change, ask them to check your brakes. Many of the better auto repair shops will do this anyhow, without your asking. But, just in case, don’t be afraid to ask.