It’s cold outside. We all know it. We all feel it. And so do our cars.

Inexperienced Rexburg drivers must take a few precautions this winter with their vehicles, said Jason Parkinson, an employee of D & T Auto Repair in Rexburg.

“First and foremost, make certain that your antifreeze meets the area’s specifications. Around here, it should be a minimum of 35 degrees below.”

“This is the time to get your vehicles checked,” Parkinson said. “[The weather] gets nasty and it happens overnight.”

Because of the “nastiness” of the weather, especially in the early morning, Parkinson said drivers should consider installing engine heaters to maintain a warm temperature.

“The harshest thing for an engine is that initial start up in the morning,” Parkinson said. “A lot of cars have engine heaters in the engine block. You can plug them in overnight and it keeps the fluid warm. I advise you install them.”

But physical checkups of the vehicle alone are not enough to insure driver safety in the winter, said Reed Richman, owner of R & S Automotives in Rexburg. Drivers can equip their cars with other necessities.

“It sure doesn’t hurt to have a blanket and maybe some jumper cables, just in case,” Richman said. “A blanket is the most important. If you do get stuck or stranded, you can stay warm.”

Dyan Schwab, a freshman from Rexburg, agrees that these materials and others are vital.

“I keep jumper cables in the back, and I always keep a blanket, a pair of gloves and a water bottle in there too,” Schwab said.

These preparations will not compensate for recklessness on the ice, though, Schwab said.

“Drive really, really slow. Pedestrians — don’t just walk out on the road because you have the right of way. A lot of people go the speed limit, but even that is too fast on black ice.”