- Tires decide everything. Tread depth and pressure checked monthly; dedicated winters if your commute is rural or Up North. All-wheel drive helps you go — tires help you stop.
- Battery test. Cold kills marginal batteries at the worst moment. Five-minute test at any parts store, free.
- See and be seen. Winter blades, washer fluid rated below zero (buy two), every bulb working — half of winter driving is visibility management.
- The trunk kit. Blanket, shovel, salt/litter, jumper pack, flashlight, snacks, charger cable. The kit is comedy until the night it isn't.
- Policy check one — comprehensive & roadside. Slide-offs and tows spike now; confirm roadside service is on the policy and know how to summon it.
- Policy check two — collision type. Winter is when Broad collision earns its keep: the not-your-fault pileup with a waived deductible.
- Storage moves. Parking the summer car or bike? Ask about storage-period adjustments before dropping coverage — comprehensive should stay (garages burn, cars get stolen), and lapses cost more than they save.
Before the first lake-effect band hits.
Michigan winters total more cars in ditches than deer do in November. The prep list, plus the two policy checks that matter most in December.