In summer, when you want to go somewhere, you jump in the car and go. But, in winter in McHenry, it’s not that easy. You may have snow that requires the application of a snow shovel or snowblower. There’s a good chance you’ll have to clean snow from the car and/or scrape ice and frost from the windows.

Keeping this in mind, it’s crucial that you have the proper tools on hand. This means a brush to sweep off the snow and a scraper for the frost and ice. Often, you can pick up a dual-purpose brush-scraper. Or you may want a dedicated tool for each purpose. A scraper, by itself, can often tuck in nicely, and out of the way, near the drivers seat.

Remember the purpose for sweeping the snow and scraping the windows is to maximize your vision while driving. Vision is essential to safe driving. Try squinting your eyes so they’re barely open. Imagine driving with your eyes like this. Even if you’re in a hurry, it’s worth the time to completely clear the snow, ice and frost from your car’s windows.

You may want to warm the car up before you drive. As cold as it gets in winter here in McHenry, this may be a necessary step when driving in winter. If there isn’t any heat, if the windshield frosts up as you start to drive, there isn’t much you can do about it other than to pull over and wait until you have enough heat.

You also want to make sure you have a good set of wipers and plenty of windshield washer solvent. You need this, not only for snow, sleet and rain that falls on your windshield in winter, but also for the salted water that is thrown up on your windshield while driving in winter.

What about comfort and safety?

In the winter, temperatures can get dangerously low. You want your heater to work effectively to protect you from sub-zero temperatures. You also want the heater to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the vehicle.

Imagine that the car stops running and your stuck on the side of the road. If it’s just past midnight, and you’re on a backroad that doesn’t see a lot of traffic, this could be a ticklish situation. This could be a dangerous situation.

Are you wearing enough warm clothes (remember to dress in layers)? But it’s also a good idea to keep a blanket in the car for just such a situation. It’s a good idea to keep some water and a candy bar or some other snack in the car, too.

Here are some items you may want to keep in your car during a McHenry winter:

• A blanket
• Water
• A Candy Bar
• Flashlight
• Flares or Road Reflectors
• Your Cell Phone
• A Charger for your phone
• Jumper Cables
• Basic tools – screwdriver, adjustable wrench, pliers