How to Prepare Your Car for a Tulsa Freeze

How to Prepare Your Car for a Tulsa Freeze

Before freezing rain, snow, or ice reaches Tulsa, check the car and decide whether the trip can wait. Current weather and road conditions matter more than a generic winter checklist.

Check the vehicle

Battery

Cold weather can expose a weak battery. If the engine has started slowly or the battery is older, ask a repair shop, dealership, or auto-parts store to test it. Follow the battery and vehicle manufacturers' instructions before replacing or jump-starting it.

Tires

• Check cold tire pressure against the placard inside the vehicle, not the maximum pressure printed on the tire.
• Inspect the tread, wear, cracks, and visible damage.
• Ask a tire professional about anything you are unsure of.

No tire makes ice safe. Delay the trip when officials advise people to stay off the road.

Fluids, visibility, and heat

• Use the coolant type and mixture specified in the owner's manual.
• Use washer fluid rated for the expected temperature.
• Replace wiper blades that streak or have damaged rubber.
• Test the front and rear defrosters, heater, lights, and windshield washers.
• Clear the windshield, windows, mirrors, lights, and roof before driving.

Pack a winter car kit

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management recommends carrying winter supplies in the vehicle. A practical kit can include:

• A charged phone and backup battery
• An ice scraper and brush
• Blankets, warm clothing, and gloves
• Water and food that will keep in the car
• A flashlight with spare batteries
• A first-aid kit
• Jumper cables or a portable jump starter that you know how to use
• Reflective triangles or flares with their instructions
• A small shovel and sand or clay-based cat litter for traction

Save your towing or roadside number before the weather changes. Miklos Towing's dispatch number is (918) 830-0773.

Before driving

• Check the forecast and current Oklahoma road conditions.
• Keep enough fuel or charge for delays.
• Charge the phone and tell someone the planned route and arrival time.
• Allow more time and space for stopping.
• Do not crowd road-clearing equipment.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation says bridges and ramps can freeze before other pavement. Its hazardous-driving page has current state guidance for snow, ice, and roadside emergencies.

If the vehicle is stranded

Call 911 for immediate danger and follow instructions from emergency personnel. If officials tell you to remain with the vehicle, keep it visible and avoid overexertion. Before running the engine for heat, make sure snow or debris has not blocked the exhaust. Carbon monoxide can build up in the cabin.

If the vehicle cannot be driven, call towing dispatch with:

• The exact location and direction of travel
• The vehicle year, make, and model
• How the vehicle is positioned
• Any wheel, collision, or recovery damage
• The requested destination

Dispatch checks the job, equipment, availability, quote, and current ETA for that call. Winter traffic and road conditions can change the answer.

Call Miklos Towing live dispatch at (918) 830-0773.

This article provides general information. Follow current government warnings, emergency personnel, and the vehicle manufacturer's instructions.