Before driving in winter conditions, the American Automobile Association suggests motorists check, or have a mechanic check, the following items:

1. Recharge or replace weak batteries. If appropriate, check the fluid levels and make certain the battery posts and cable clamps are clean and tight.

2. Check the headlights, parking lights, directional signals (front and rear), tail lights, and brake lights for proper operation.

3. A tune-up can alert motorists to damaged ignition wires, cracked distributor cap, worn spark plugs, each of which can make ignition difficult or cause sudden breakdowns.

4. To avoid skids on slippery surfaces, brakes should be checked regularly and, if needed, properly adjusted to ensure equal braking.

5. Tires are the only contact the automobile has with the roadway, so make sure each tire is properly inflated and in good condition.

6. Check radiator hoses for leaks and cracks. If needed, fill radiator with a high-quality antifreeze, such as Prestone.

7. Windshield wipers should be checked regularly for operation and the wiper reservoir kept filled.

Today, consumers can use de-icers such as Prestone Driveway Heat®, a concentrated formula that melts ice and snow four times faster than ordinary rock salt, without the messy problems.

Products such as Driveway Heat are hygroscopic, a scientific way of saying they draw moisture from the ice and snow and produce an exothermic reaction, creating heat to melt ice and snow. As a result, the product works faster and more effectively than other ice-melting products like rock salt. For example, rock salt starts losing its effectiveness when temperatures reach 20 degrees F, but Driveway Heat keeps working to much lower temperatures, as low as -25 degrees F.

Driveway Heat melts to a clear solution, and does not leave behind a white residue that can be tracked into homes and offices, soiling carpets and wood floors. It is also safer for lawns and other vegetation.(NAPSI)