A rainstorm is expected to hit the central coast in less than 24 hours. People will bring out the essentials, like a rain jacket and umbrella, but some forget to prepare their vehicles for the rain.
“Precautions would be having good wiper blades and good tires on your vehicle. most people don’t think about their wiper blades until they need them," said Jake O'Halloran, an auto service advisor.
Local auto shops are seeing an increase in demand for windshield wipers and other parts that will make their rides safer on winter roads.
“Definitely in the winters season we see a lot of more wiper blades going out and we also get a lot of more snow chains around this time," said Jason Jackson.
Experts say one tip when checking windshield wipers is to use liquid fluid. If the wipers leave behind too many streaks then it may indicate that it is time for new wipers.
“You can look at your wiper blades and see if there is any buildup of organic material or if the actual insert the little rubber insert is falling apart," said O'Halloran.
But what exactly is the organic material you should be aware of?
“Any kind of leaves, or pollen or dirt. Anything that might build up on the vehicle over time," said O'Halloran.
It’s recommended that people change out their windshield wipers annually or at the very least, check them out before the storm hits.
Triple-a recommends conducting a run-through to make sure your headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals are also functioning properly.
