Police to Michigan Drivers: Make This Important Change Before Driving This Winter

As winter-tough born and bred Michiganders, we should be very well-versed at driving in snow. However, police departments want to make drivers aware of a simple but important change to their car's setting before they start out in bad winter weather.

When winter weather hits it can turn a familiar drive into a totally unrecognizable sojourn. That's why we drive a little slower and with extra caution.

But we don't necessarily change any settings in our car when it comes to our headlights. That's the important thing to look at there.

The advice from a police department in Wisconsin. They recommend changing your vehicle's headlight settings from AUTO to ON. You likely use the AUTO setting as a set-it-and-forget-it. When it gets dark the lights come on automatically and they'll go off when its bright.

However, things get tricky in winter.

Why You Shouldn't Use AUTO Headlight Setting in Winter

Check out these two key reasons to switch from AUTO to ON during bad winter driving conditions. Your automatic headlight

does not activate because of inclement weather such as snow ,rain or fog, so please use your headlights manually for safety while driving in these weather condition. In addition daytime running lights (DRL) on most new vehicles may activate white lights to the front but leave the taillights off which leads to many driving at night or in inclement weather feeling headlights are on without any rear lighting being present.

They close the message with a good tip - when in doubt, turn your lights on.

Now just remember to turn them off when you've reached your destination. No one wants a rundown battery and needs a jumpstart.