Ripped from the pages of Road King Magazine, here are winter driving tips as we head into the holidays and bad weather:

Have an emergency kit. For driving around town and suburbs this should include:

• Flashlight with strong batteries as well as some extras
• Windshield scraper (small combo scraper/squeegee is best)
• Blanket (more than one if you have children)
• Fix-a-flat
• Jumper Cables
• Kitty Litter (for traction) or ice-melt chemical
• Small fire extinguisher (should be able to use on oil/gas fires or electrical)
• basic tools (screwdriver, pliers and/or adjustable wrench, small hammer,
• multi-tool or pocket knife, lengths of cord, small spool of wire (it's
• amazing what you can do with a coat hanger when your muffler straps break)
• emergency rain poncho
• cap and workgloves
• small spade or collapsible shovel
• Cell phone with charger
• Bottle of motor oil
• Roll of paper towels
• Roll of toilet tissue or box of kleenex
• Clean-up tissues (ye olde moist towelettes)
• First-aid kit
• Empty gasoline container

For longer distance driving, add some bottles of water and non-perishable food items/snacks...I put the water in a small cooler to keep it from freezing. The cooler would contain it should a bottle freeze and burst. Also take some windshield cleaner fluid - in bad weather you could use up what you have in the tank.

Make sure your spare tire is fully inflated and you have your jack and tire iron.

Always carry a coat, hat and gloves, even for running to the store.

Before heading out on a long trip, check your lights, wiper blades, oil level, radiator fluid level, etc. If you drive in bad weather, clean your headlights and tailights whenever you stop. Check your tire inflation -- driving on underinflated tires is very, very dangerous (can you say Firestone).

Most of you know this, but here it is again: Big trucks, buses and RVs have big blind spots behind, beside and even immediately in front of them. They can't see you if they have to stop or change lanes. Don't linger in those spots.

For lots more tips, go to www.countonshell.com/home_fs.html and pull down the other sites menu to Driving booklets.