What looks like a lovely winter wonderland from your living room window can make for a sloppy commute on the roads. When snowstorms hit, but work can't wait, there are a number of things that you can do to make your travel safer. Middlesex Mutual Assurance Co. offers the following tips:

Check your vehicle each time you drive

• Clean your vehicle of ice and snow before you drive. This includes front, rear and side windows, roof, hood, and trunk. Debris left on a vehicle can impede your vision or strike another car when your vehicle is put into operation.

• Let your windows fully defrost before you drive. If you warm up your car before you drive, make sure it is in a well-ventilated area to avoid carbon monoxide build-up.

• Keep towels in the car to wipe off headlights or light covers when they become dirty and covered in snow.

Maintenance checks

• Make sure your coolant is properly mixed according to the manufacturer's specifications.

• Use lighter weight engine oil such as 10W40 to ensure easier starts.

• Make sure washer fluid has an antifreeze agent in it, and keep extra fluid stored in your trunk.

• Have your battery tested and replaced if it is not at peak performance. Cold weather wreaks havoc on batteries.

Driving tips

• Remain vigilant even though your car has ABS brakes and traction control. This does not change the fact that it takes a much longer distance to stop on snow or ice.

• Pumping the brakes on vehicles equipped with ABS will reduce the effectiveness of the brakes. Refer to your owner's manual for specific instructions on your vehicle's braking system.

• Steering into the direction of a skid while modulating the brake pressure can help you recover more quickly.

• Leaving a greater following distance allows you to anticipate stops better. Be aware of your surroundings. Children love to play in snow, and they too, require a greater stopping distance with sleds and winter toys.

• Remove snow and ice that becomes packed in the wheels. This can cause the wheels to become out of balance and make the steering wheel shake.

• Wear safety belts at all times. The proper use of safety restraints may reduce injury should an accident occur.

• Don't drive in inclement weather unless necessary. Don't place yourself at risk when it is readily avoidable.