Winter Driving Tips For Denver
Winter in Colorado is anything but predictable. The morning can be sunny and the afternoon rush hour can be filled with snow. Even experienced Denver drivers could use some winter driving tips. It is important to be prepared and alert at all times. Drivers should never be caught off guard when a patch of black ice or even a blizzard hits. Below are some good tips to keep in mind including everything from blankets, flashlights and even cat litter.
Winter Driving Tips:
- Make sure your tires have good tread
- Keep an ice scraper and snow brush in the car
- Carry plenty of windshield wiper fluid
- Slow down and never use cruise control
- Avoid any dangerous hills
- If the vehicle starts to slide, look for an open patch and steer into that path
- Carry a small bag with a flashlight, blanket and water
- Carry a small kit of tire chains, cat litter or sand and a shovel
Colorado Department of Transportation
4201 E. Arkansas Ave.
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 757-9485
www.coloradodot.info
The Colorado Department of Transportation, CDOT, provides the most recent updates on road conditions and closures. Its website even has a section on winter driving conditions and tips on how to get through the task of driving in winter conditions in the Denver area. Metro-area drivers look forward every year to their mountain activities and head up the snowy roads. CDOT has a map of all of the chain up stations in Colorado. The site also provides some excellent winter driving preparedness tips. For up-to-the-minute information, CDOT is on Twitter at twitter.com/ColoradoDOT.
Wallace Autos LLC
14697 E. Easter Ave.
Centennial, CO 80112
(303) 766-0072
www.wallaceautos.com
When the winter season hits, it is often the small businesses that provide the quality service customers look for. Wallace Autos is one such business. Run by Bobby Wallace and Carrie Sims, they have taken their 20 combined years of automotive and management experience and created a shop customers rely upon. Located in Centennial, Wallace Autos is a trusted store with which to pick up those much-needed snow tires, repair diagnostics, technical support and auto body work. It carries well-known tire brands such as BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Michelin and many others. The staff will help customers choose the right tires to get them through the Colorado winter.
Toy Car Care
6844 S. Potomac St.
Centennial, CO 80112
(303) 799-3895
www.toycarcare.com
Colorado residents know all too well that our state is known for its harsh winters and sizzling summers. Toy Car Care has been the trusted automotive service and repair on your Toyota, Lexus and Scion since 1997. Customers boast that its mechanics have been able to diagnose and solve problems even the dealerships couldn't help with. Steve and the guys welcome customers with a smile and professionalism that reassure customers from moment one. These mechanics come with the experience and knowledge of the top dealerships and charge the most reasonable of prices. In the winter, Toy Car Care is an ideal resource to find those all-important snow tires, check the brakes, change the coolant mixture and make sure a car is ready for the months ahead. Convenient and comfortable, this spot has a great waiting area and a kid's play room.
Rack Attack Denver
4975 Leetsdale Drive
Denver, CO 80246
(303) 399-6900
www.rackattack.com
Denver-area driving in winter rarely requires chains. Yet known as one of the most active states in the country, Colorado is filled with winter activity enthusiasts. When it's time to chain up and head up to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, Rack Attack Denver is just the place to buy tire chains. In business in the Denver area since 1999, it provides quality tire chains as well as install assistance with custom roof racks for those skies and boards. Rack Attack carries all the top brands, including Thule, Yakima, Saris and TracRac, and even offer rentals to get people through the snow safely and in style.
DriveSafe Driving Schools
8919 E. Union Ave.
Englewood, CO 80111
(303) 721-8881
www.drivesafecolorado.com
DriveSafe Driving Schools are not just there for new drivers. They actually offer a Defensive Skills Day training plus a test for adults who want to prepare themselves with life-saving driving skills. This six-hour class will teach and allow students to practice maneuvers that cannot be done on the regular streets. With 20 years of experience, the instructors will teach ski control, winter weather condition driving, skid control and winter driving tips. With a philosophy of not using fear to teach driving, this class can help drivers of any age be fully prepared for the winter.
Colleen Bement is a freelance writer covering all things Denver. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
