With December here and the weather temperatures starting to decline, we know it's just a matter of time until the snow starts to fly. It's time to ask yourself, are you prepared for winter? For those of us that live in the midwestern states, you would think by now we would be used to winter. Unfortunately, every year it still seems to take us by surprise. To help ease the stress of winter driving, we compiled a list of tips and tricks that will hopefully help you get through this winter as unscathed as possible.

Be Prepared

There are many different ways to be prepared when it comes to winter driving. Winter weather can be unpredictable. The best place to start when planning a trip is to check with weather forecast. We know that we can't prevent everything that could possibly happen, but we can try to get ahead of the storm. It doesn't matter if you are in your personal vehicle or a company truck, we all need to strive to be the safest we can while out on the road this winter.

While driving - Slow down, two hands on the wheel, maintain extra space between you and those ahead of you and be sure to brake slowly.

Do you have an emergency kit? Although it may sound simple, keeping little thing in your car, truck or semi could make a huge difference if you ever have an emergency out on the road. A few things to keep with you during the winter months are: