Stay Safe This Winter With These 4 Cold Weather Driving Tips

January 24, 2019 · 3 min read

Winter weather not only poses challenges for your vehicle, but it also brings a variety of hazards that can threaten your safety on the road. If you live in an area with freezing temperatures and plenty of snowfall, you have to be prepared to deal with reduced visibility and slippery roads, which can significantly increase your risk of getting into an accident. Follow these four tips to stay safe this winter.

Use Winter Tires

This is something many people overlook during winter. While all-season tires deliver great traction and handling on dry paved roads, they certainly do not perform the same way on wet or icy roads. When it gets really cold, the treads on these tires may harden and increase your chances of skidding. Winter tires, on the other hand, are specially designed to give you optimal traction on slippery roads. They come with softer treads that stay flexible even in sub-zero temperatures and deeper tread grooves for improved road grip.

Reduce Your Speed

It's also important that you drive slowly and carefully in the winter. Due to poorer traction on wintry roads, your vehicle may not respond as quickly as you want it to. Even with winter tires, it will need a longer distance to come to a stop. Driving at a slower speed during winter enables you to brake and turn more easily and safely. It also helps you stay more aware of your surroundings, which is especially essential when you're experiencing poor visibility.

Get Your Car Serviced

You should also visit your local auto shop or dealership to have your car comprehensively serviced at the start of the winter season. Your vehicle is more susceptible to mechanical problems when it's exposed to very cold temperatures. As such, there is a greater likelihood that it will break down on the road.

A breakdown can be worrisome or even dangerous if it occurs in the middle of nowhere or late at night. The nearest auto shop may be located far away or already be closed. Emergency rescue services also tend to take longer to respond in the winter. Having your car properly serviced can help you avoid such a situation. Make sure your mechanic performs a thorough inspection on your car, fix all identified problems, and top up all fluids.

Keep Your Gas Tank Full

During winter, the gas lines in your vehicle may freeze up, especially if they have little or no fuel in them. You can prevent this from happening by keeping your gas tank full. Try not to let the fuel level go below the half-way mark.

There is a lot more you can do to stay safe on the road during the winter, including viewing weather reports and increasing your following distance. However, the best way to minimize your risk of accidents is to exercise extra caution and attentiveness while driving. Besides driving safely, you should also keep an eye out for errant drivers and pedestrians because everybody is more prone to making mistakes during winter.

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Hiking Trails Near Fairfax, VA - Jim McKay Chevrolet

Sep 15, 2023 in Around Town

Drive on Over: 3 Hiking Trails Near Fairfax, VA

Do you love the feeling you get after a good workout? Do you sometimes feel like you spend too much time looking at screens and not enough time connecting with nature? If so, you may be interested to know that there are a number of scenic hiking trails in Fairfax, VA. To help you decide which local trails are worth making the drive in your 2024 Chevrolet Trax to, read on to discover our favorites. more Daniels Run Park Loop Are you looking for a short, peaceful hike? If so, we urge you to check out the Daniels Run Park Loop at 9800 Barlow Rd. This moderately intense loop trail is only 1.3 miles long, and it is great for hiking, running, mountain biking, and dog walking. However, if you want to take your furry friend on a fast forest exploration, she must remain on a leash. Long Branch Stream Valley Trail We also recommend checking out Long Branch Stream Valley Trail. You can access this 2.75-mile stone dust trail from Rutherford Park at 4798 Guinea Rd or Canterbury Woods Park at 5018 Wakefield Chapel Road. Both parks feature a playground, but Rutherford Park is also home to ball fields and tennis courts. It is worth mentioning that you can access Cross County Trail from the Long Branch Stream Valley Trail. Cross Braddock Road where it intersects with Wakefield Chapel Road. Then, walk right down the sidewalk on the other side of Braddock until you reach Danbury Forest Drive. Then, you need to follow the asphalt trail south until you reach the trail over Accotink Creek. Bear left, and you can access Wakefield Park or Lake Accotink Park. Lake Royal Trail You also can't go wrong with enjoying a scenic 1.8-mile hike at Lake Royal Trail. This trail is suitable for dog walking, and it is quick and easy enough to be kid-friendly. The average person will complete this beautiful loop trail in 34 minutes. However, traversing this trail can easily take longer, especially if you are into birding or wildlife watching. There are many bird species you can spot here, including geese, eagles, and several types of songbirds. There are also other animals that you may see if you keep your eyes peeled. Also, there is exercise equipment around the lake. With a new Chevy, there is no shortage of scenic trails in Fairfax that you can explore. However, you must remember that your car needs regular maintenance to continue operating effectively. Every 5,000 miles you drive, contact us at Jim McKay Chevrolet to schedule a service appointment.

Local Parks Near Fairfax, VA - Jim McKay Chevrolet

Jul 21, 2023 in Around Town

Just Down the Road: 5 Local Parks Near Fairfax, VA

The residents of Fairfax, VA live remarkably healthy lifestyles, enjoying an impressively long average life expectancy of over 85 years. This robust good health is helped, no doubt, by lots of exercise and easy access to excellent outdoor spaces and activities. If hearing this makes you feel like taking a brisk stroll in the park, here are some of the best parks you'll find in Fairfax. more Van Dyck Park This popular park has 20 acres of well-maintained lawns and tree-lined walkways. It's a terrific place for playing sports, with lighted outdoor tennis and basketball courts, a sand volleyball court, an exercise trail, and a fenced-in skate park. With a gazebo, two picnic pavilions, three grills, and two well-equipped playgrounds that separate younger from older children, it's also a fine park for bringing all the family for a picnic. You'll find the park at 3720 Blenheim Bvld. Draper Drive Park This excellent park is heaven for soccer fans, providing two top-notch full-sized soccer fields that are really well looked after. There's also a great playground with shaded parts, swings for special needs children, and slides that are safe for well-supervised younger children: most of the ground underneath is a soft rubber composite. Head to Draper Drive Park to relax in the sunshine while your children have fun at 9797 Beech Dr. Stafford Drive Park This quiet, picturesque park has long, interesting walking trails through areas of lush green foliage with woods and a trickling creek. There's also a very large football field and a nice little playground, all kept clean, safe, and in good condition. It's an ideal place to come for a jog in natural surroundings if you live nearby. You'll find it at 3300 Stafford Dr. Kutner Park Another local favorite is this attractive 10-acre park on the west side of Fairfax, which has a community garden plot where you'll often see locals tending to their plants and vegetables. This very well-stocked park has a large variety of things to do, with a tennis court, a large grassy field, a volleyball court, and a cute little nature trail that leads into a pleasant wooded area. Visit Kutner Park at 3901 Jermantown Rd. Carney Park This scenic little park has a very nice playground for younger children. It's also a great place to go for a walk surrounded by birdsong and the sounds of nature. The park is enveloped on all sides by trees which cut out the noise of the city and create a peaceful, quiet, leafy oasis. For a break on a busy day at work, you can drive here in your brand-new 2024 Chevrolet Trax LS, effortlessly weaving through the city streets with your Chevy's sophisticated navigation system. Find Carney Park at 11652 Fairfax Center Woods Tr. Once you've had a relaxing afternoon at the park, visit Jim McKay Chevrolet. For over 50 years, our family-run Chevrolet dealership has been providing the drivers of our local Fairfax community with consistently high-quality cars, deals, and customer service.

Outdoor Activities Near Fairfax, VA - Jim McKay Chevrolet

Jun 09, 2023 in Around Town

3 Great Outdoor Activities in Driving Distance of Fairfax, VA

If you're from Fairfax, VA and want to spend some time in the fresh air with your family, there are many great outdoor activities to choose from. Take a look at what's on offer. more Daniels Run Park You'll not be able to keep the smile off your face as you squeeze your entire tribe (dog included) into your sleek new full-size 2024 Chevrolet Trax for the journey to Daniels Run Park. Located at 9712 Barlow Road, this park is a 2.1 km trail that's fantastic for hiking, running, and walking. There's plenty of shade thanks to the surrounding trees, and with its peace and tranquility, it provides an escape from the daily grind of the working week. It isn't a sanctuary for humans alone, either. It's also a haven for various wildlife, such as deer, foxes, squirrels, and many varieties of native birds. There is also a picnic pavilion where you can eat comfortably and a play area where the children can play safely while you watch from nearby. Bon Air Park This vast 24-acre park can be found at 850 N Lexington Street and is home to a charming memorial rose garden that was founded by Nelly Broyhill in 1939 to pay tribute to local World War II veterans. An extraordinary variety of roses stand to attention in perfectly formed rows, much like the soldiers would have done while parading on duty back in the 1940s. Other amenities include play areas, basketball courts, a gazebo, and a picnic area with access to charcoal grills. A bench in honor of Nelly's dedication to Fairfax sits adjacent to a stone plaque, a memorial to the 841 local heroes. Frying Pan Farm Park The Frying Pan, located at 2739 West Ox Road, brings farm life from the 1920s to the 1950s into the modern-day world. Kidwell Farm sits within the grounds and allows visitors to travel on a wagon to meet peacocks, horses, sheep, cows, and pigs. Children can ride the carousel, play in the park, or celebrate African American culture by listening to stories and music while sampling African American cuisine from parked food trucks. On-site, you'll find the Old Forest Schoolhouse built in 1901, and the younger Floris Vocational Technical High School, which was opened two whole decades later in 1921. The buildings were no longer used as schools by the 1950s. They were instead set up as youth centers where they can learn about modern-day farming and sometimes attend fairs or Boy Scout meetings. You'll definitely have a lovely time at all three places (and with little or no cost, too.) Be at one with nature at Daniels Run Park, spend some time enjoying the beautiful rose garden at Bon Air Park, or meet the animals at Frying Pan Farm Park. After that, make a stop at Jim McKay Chevrolet to take a look at the superb range of new and used cars that we have for sale in Fairfax, VA. You'll not be disappointed!