INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It’s time to winterize your ride, mechanics said.

Hoosiers skidded on slick roads and queued up at gas station air pumps as a brutal blast of cold air settled into central Indiana in time for Halloween.

“This is really our first [bout of] winter weather,” said Brett Bobrow, manager of Best-One of Indy in Carmel. “All the oils and so forth that have been in the road are going to come up and it’s going to be a little more slippery than even normal wet weather.”

Bobrow recommended checking tire pressure, tread depth, antifreeze levels and car batteries before temperatures dipped further.

Driving on worn tires with shallow tread and insufficient traction could be deadly on icy Indiana roads, he said.

A simple test can be conducted at home to check if tires are ready for replacement. Insert a penny, head first, into tire tread grooves. Part of Lincoln’s head should always be covered by the tread. If the top of Lincoln’s head is visible, tread depth has reached 2/32 of an inch and the tire must be replaced. 

Authorities also reminded drivers warming up their cars on chilly mornings to remain vigilant. 

A gray Chevy Malibu was stolen Wednesday morning in the 8200 block of Grenada Drive. The theft occurred while the empty vehicle was warming up with the key in the ignition, according to a police report.

Anybody with information about the incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-TIPS.