RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Before you head out in the snow, check your tire pressure and your tread. All you need is a penny.
“The difference between the top of Lincoln’s head and the edge of the penny is two thirty-seconds of an inch, and that’s the minimum for state inspection here in Virginia,” explains Tommy Bickett with One Stop Auto in Richmond.
Bickett says stick the penny in your tire tread, and if Lincoln’s head disappears, you’re good to go.
“You would want the tread to come halfway up to Lincoln’s nose,” say Bickett.
You’ll also want to make sure you get under the hood before you drive in the storm.
“You want to make sure that your battery has a good charge and it’s a good battery.” says Bickett.
One look at the battery could tell you all you need to know.
“Say if you open up your hood and you have a lot of green corrosion and things around on your battery, that’s not good,” Bickett said. “That’s meaning you are not getting a solid connection through your battery wires to your battery.”
Don’t forget to check your fluids coolant, brakes and the windshield washer fluid.
Lastly, don’t hit the snowy roads without at full tank of gas.
