With constantly changing weather conditions, being prepared for anything is important. One thing in need of preparation is your car.

On the market, there are three types of tires: summer, winter, and hybrid. Tires are made of special rubber compounds that differ depending on the weather they are tested for.

“Summer tires have a tendency to harden up and just think of them as hockey pucks on an ice rink,” said Rob Hakala, service manager at Volkswagen of Duluth.

Manufacturers recommend summer tires be changed once the weather drops below 40 degrees, and winter tires when the weather rises above 40 degrees – because driving on an incorrectly graded tire can be dangerous.

“When you come to a complete stop, it’s not going to help you. It doesn’t get that grip that they do with winter tires, which are made of a softer rubber compound. It really flexes more and get better grip in the snow when it comes to stopping and going,” said Hakala.

Hybrid tires are a great option for anyone looking for a year-round tire as they are graded for both summer and winter months.

Inside the vehicle, a pre-winter service check before temperatures drop can prevent potential cold weather mishaps.

“We want to check out the battery, having your car not started in the winter. Don’t have to tell you what that’s like. Absolutely have the coolant checked as well as the washer fluid. If you have summer rated washer fluid that can freeze, and that’s not going to help you at all when you’re out on the road,” said Hakala.

“Servicing everything, changing your oil, check your differential fluids. So very, very important. Always keep your tank above half at all times. So that way you don’t have to worry about moisture building up in the tank and having a line freeze in your fuel and stuff like that,” said Mike Lawrey, sales manager at Pro Tire in Hermantown.

Another important tip is making sure your car is stocked in case of an emergency.

“They should have some kind of gripping planks or something that they should keep in their trunk at all times along with a blanket and maybe a small amount of food, protein bars, things like that. Just because you never know when you can slide off into the ditch. Keep a blanket, keep a couple extra jackets,”