Driving Advice for the Winter Ahead.

• Position: INCLEMENT WEATHER - Brief article - Instructions

"December is National Impaired Driving Prevention month, which aims at reducing the number of drunk, drugged, or distracted car accidents and deaths, but this month also signals the beginning of winter, and that means it's also Winter Driving Awareness month, at least as far as I'm concerned," says Alex Lazarou, manager of Social Media and Marketing for All Star Driver Education, Ann Arbor, Mich.

"Whether you're packing for a holiday trip or you're simply looking for tips on driving this winter, here is some advice that you might not have thought of when preparing to hit the road."

What to check before you drive:

* Engine coolant. A proper mix of antifreeze and water is important to a properly functioning heating and cooling system.

* Oil level. In winter, the viscosity of the oil you use should be thinner.

* Nonfreeze windshield wiper fluid.

* Tire pressure and tread.

Once you have started the car, be extra careful on icy and snowy roads:

* Take turns slowly.

*...