It pays to prepare yourself for winter driving

Frosty grass, ice-tipped evergreen trees and open roads blanketed in fresh powder — beautiful to see. But to drive in?Difficult and potentially dangerous would be a more apt description.Because winters in this part of the Pacific Northwest are mild in comparison with other parts of the country, Washington State Patrol spokesman Will Finn says drivers often aren't used to the road conditions and don't get practice driving in the snow.

"A lot of times we see drivers getting overconfident with their driving," he said.People with four-wheel drive may think their cars can handle faster speeds on icy or snowy roads; however, these vehicles can't stop any faster.AAA projects 93.3 million Americans traveling during the Christmas and New Years holidays, a 1.6 percent increase from last year. About 90 percent of travelers plan to go by car.

Jennifer Cook, spokeswoman for AAA Washington, says the first step to surviving the winter driving season is to take care of your car. Make sure the battery is healthy, fluid levels aren't low, the lights and windshield wipers are working, and the tires are fully inflated and have enough tread."As the temperatures go down, you're going to lose tire pressure," she said.