2 News spoke to a mechanic on Tuesday who says there are steps with their vehicle that people should care for right now, so they don't get stranded in the wet cold weather.
Sliding possibly spinning out, colliding with another car, or even possibly spinning off into a mountain,” said Pep Boys Auto Technician Jerramy Babb. Driving in cold weather conditions can be scary business. Yet many of the bays of the Pep Boys Auto Center in South Reno are vacant.
Pep Boys auto technician Jerramy Babb says many people have been putting off winterizing their car. “It makes more sense to be prepared now, rather than wait until the last minute,” said Babb.
Older tires put your vehicle at risk. “It's just going to push the snow right in front of you, instead of stopping you when you brake,” said Babb. It's not just because they lose their tread, “When tires get older, they get harder and they lose that stickiness. And that stickiness is really what grips the road and grips the traction,” said Babb.
Babb says tire traction is one of the keys to safe driving in wintery weather along with safe driving practices. “Newer tires means more traction, better control, better maneuverability,” said Babb.
Just because you have four-wheel drive does not mean you are safe driving on bad tires. “If you have four-wheel drive up in the mountains they don't need the chains. But driving on bald tires, they are still going to result in poor traction even on four-wheel drive vehicles,” said Babb.
How do you know if you're tires are safe to drive on? Babb says you can pick up a tread depth gauge at a local auto parts store. “If you're tires come up on the gauge in the yellow and you're approaching winter, you need to buy a new set of tires,” said Babb.
Now is also considered a good time to buy chains for your vehicle.
