WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – AAA is reminding people to check their tire pressure as we head into colder months.

It’s not officially winter yet but we are already seeing those temperatures drop. The biggest roadblock people faced Thursday morning was frosted windshield wipers and low tire pressure.

Drivers might start seeing the low tire pressure warning light on their dashboard. The air in tires contracts in lower temperatures, reducing pressure.

“AAA research showed that tire pressure monitoring systems mostly worked as intended,” said Mark Schieldrop, AAA Northeast Senior Spokesperson. “But drivers should use a manual tire pressure gauge once a month to ensure proper inflation because a tire has to be 20 percent deflated before a warning light is displayed.” 

Recent AAA testing of tire pressure monitoring systems found them to be generally accurate, but drivers should still check their tire pressure manually since proper tire inflation is critical to safety and better gas mileage.

It’s that time of the year to start getting your regular maintenance checks to make sure that your car is in tip-top condition to hit the roads and take on the brutal New England winter. Michael Lapite at City Tire told 22News to start by checking the car’s battery, “Batteries is a big thing you always want to make sure your battery is fully charged and ready to go get it tested regularly it’s not going to hurt. Tire pressure is a big thing and tread on your tires is a big thing. You won’t want to be slipping and sliding all over the place.”

He says that hard starting is always an indicator that your battery is starting to go so if it starts doing this especially on cold mornings you should get your battery checked immediately.