SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – As snow begins to fall, it’s important to be prepared when on the road.

With the weather now affecting Utah roads, Utah Highway Patrol troopers urge drivers to slow down and take extra precautions when driving.

The team is currently assisting nearly 20 weather-related crashes as of 11:17 a.m., Sunday morning.

“Stay home if you can. If you must go out PLEASE SLOW DOWN, increase your following distance and anticipate the changing road conditions,” share the troopers.

To help remind drivers to stay safe, we at ABC4 have gathered list of ways to prepare your vehicle when driving in wintry weather.

According to consumerreports.org, a winter car emergency kit is a must-have for drivers. The kit can include a number of items in case of an emergency. Items range from packing battery booster cables to warm clothing to a tow strap.

Premade emergency kits are also available for purchase to help alleviate the stress in gathering most of the items.

Besides keeping an emergency kit handy, officials say it’s important to winterize your vehicle.

Nic Jack, Service Manager at Murdock Hyundai in Murray, joined ABC4 News to provide some winterizing tips for drivers: keep an emergency kit, prepare your tires, check your battery and headlights.

“Make sure your tires have adequate tread depth to ensure good stopping distance. If you’ve got a gauge, you’ll want to make sure your tread doesn’t get any lower than 4/32 of an inch. That’s when your tires start to lose traction and resistance to hydroplaning,” he shares.

When it comes to batteries, usually it’s easy to see if it needs to be replaced especially when there’s corrosion on the terminals. But otherwise, you might need to ask a repair professional to do a battery test to make sure your cold cranking amps are adequate for starting in the winter.

In extreme snowstorms, visibility is also key in getting home safely, and your car’s headlights play a big role in that.

In an AAA study, lenses were found to cloud in as little as five years and restrict light transmission by up to 50 percent.

In 2019, ABC4 was also able to coordinate with the Drive Right Driving School in Midvale, for exclusive winter driving tips.

The best advice from Rick Antoun, with Drive Right Driving School? Stay home if you don’t have to drive in the snow.