With the winter driving season here, AAA Colorado and the Colorado Department of Transportation recommend that you have a winter driving kit handy so that you are prepared when a winter storm hits.

Winter Car Kit

The following items to carry in your car during the winter driving season:

Flashlight with extra batteries
Flares or reflective triangles
Jumper cables
Cell phone/with extra batteries
First Aid kit
Rags or paper towels
Rolls of quarters, dimes and nickels
Gallon jug of water
Non-perishable food items, energy bars
Blanket and extra set of clothes
Window washer solvent
Non-clumping kitty litter or sand to help gain traction in the event you become stuck on ice or snow
Ice-scraper, snow brush and snow shovel
Tire Chains

Winter driving is tough on drivers and their vehicles. Here are a few car care tips to make it easer.

Charge!! Cold weather is hard on batteries. At zero degrees, a car's battery loses about 60 percent of its strength. At a comparatively mild 32 degrees, a battery is 35 percent weaker. A load test performed by a qualified technician will help determine whether a car's battery is strong enough for winter starts.

Get a Grip Make sure your car is equipped with tires that are properly inflated and have enough tread to be able to handle your region's winter weather. For most motorists, all-season tires are adequate. In more northern or mountainous regions, switching to snow tires may be necessary.

Gas Up Always keep the top half of your gas tank full. It can give you better traction and gives you a bigger margin of error if you get stuck and have to keep the engine running periodically to keep warm.

See and Be Seen Driving with a snow-covered windshield, windows, side-view mirrors or lights invites a crash. Clear windows, mirrors and lights with an ice scrapper, brush or spray de-icer. Make certain windshield wipers and defrosters are in good working order and that washer reservoirs are filled with no-freeze windshield washer fluid.

Slippery When Wet At or just about 32 degrees, a thin layer of water can cover the ice, causing extremely slippery conditions. The distance needed to stop on ice at 32 degrees is twice as long as at zero degrees.

Keep Your Engine Cool Mix cooling system antifreeze with an equal portion of water for maximum protection.

Key Solution Frozen door locks can be overcome by carefully heating the end of a key with a match or lighter. A squirt of de-icer spray is another quick method.

Air It Out Don't start your car in a closed garage or idle your engine for long periods with the windows closed. Carbon monoxide, present in exhaust fumes, is almost impossible to detect and can be fatal when breathed in a confined area.

Finish Up Road salt, slush and grime are especially hard on a car's finish. To help prevent rust and paint damage, keep cars washed and waxed. A full or self-service car wash makes the job easier when temperatures are low.

Stranded? If you are stuck in a serious storm do not leave your car. Run the engine periodically and wait for help.

Driving Tips for Light Trucks And Sport Utility Vehicles

Remember that 4-wheel drive does not mean 4-wheel stop. A 4-wheel drive vehicle will not stop any better in icy conditions.

Know whether your vehicle is equipped with ABS brakes, and learn how to use your brakes properly, especially in slippery driving conditions.

Practice driving in an empty parking lot or other open space to get used to the brakes, steering and overall handling.

Review your owner's manual regarding handling characteristics and four-wheel drive operation and performance.

Check the tire tread and make sure air pressure meets recommended PSI.

Remove snow and ice off your vehicle, particularly your windows and front and back lights, before driving.

Drive slower during winter storms when visibility is reduced.

Guard against all-wheel-drive overconfidence.

Be sure of your route. Don't go exploring in the back-country without some local knowledge, especially during a storm or when one is bearing down anywhere near your location.

And most importantly, slow down. When driving at night, keep your headlight beams low. High beams can amplify the appearance of snow and lead to decreased visibility. Remember that bridges may become icy before the rest of the roadway does.

Avoid sudden stops and quick direction changes. Give snowplows plenty of room to operate. Always wear your seatbelt. And if possible, avoid driving at all in bad weather conditions.

Drivers can receive current road and weather conditions and scan traffic cameras on CoTrip.org. Information also is available by calling (303) 639-1111, or toll-free outside the metro area at (877) 315-ROAD.