Preparing cars for winter weather

The winter season is just around the corner and now may be the time to start preparing your car for the cold temperatures.

Bridgestone and Tire Rack have partnered for the Winter Driving Experience on Wednesday. The event started at 5 a.m. and will continue until 3 in the afternoon.

It is a chance to educate the public on winter driving safety and how to get vehicles ready for the cold.

One strategy is to equip vehicles with winter tires. They tend to have better traction than standard "all-season tires" and stop faster in icy conditions.

Bridgestone Winter Driving School Instructor Lea Croteau said the name "all-season" is a bit of a myth because those tires are not specialized for driving in winter weather.

“What we’re looking for is that extreme performance so the all-season tires are having to do is be good in all conditions so unfortunately they’re not giving you the maximum grip available,” said Croteau.

However, there are some things you can do to stay safe in the ailments that do not cost anything.

When driving in winter weather, make sure to brake early while leaving plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you, and drive slowly. Also check the air in the tires already on your car to make sure they are properly inflated.