Severe cold weather can be perilous for drivers and motorists need to take precautions as the area braces for an arctic blast that will send temperatures into negative figures for a few days.
Somethings are obvious, like checking fluid levels, making sure your battery is fully charged, etc.
But other things are not as obvious. Coldness can zap air from tires and underinflated tires can be a real hazard.
Starting Tuiesday night Illinois Tollway users can get help if they run into problems because the deep freeze.
The Tollway is implementing its Zero Weather Patrol with dedicated hourly patrols to search for motorists stranded in disabled vehicles or in response to calls made to *999, Tollway dispatch or Illinois State Police District 15.
The patrols are activated at 8 p.m. Tuesday until Wednesday morning, when temperatures are expected to rise above zero. The Zero Weather Patrols are expected to be implemented again overnight on Wednesday, as temperatures are again expected to drop below zero overnight.
"With temperatures dipping well below zero tonight and tomorrow night, we want to assure customers that that we'll be there to help with a tire change, jump start or call for service," Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur said in a press release.
Here's more: "There are a minimum of 11 Zero Weather Road Patrols, at least one from each maintenance garage section. The Zero Weather Patrols consist of crew cab trucks equipped with arrow boards for directing traffic around accidents or stranded vehicles and enough room to accommodate up to five passengers if motorists need to be transported to a Tollway maintenance garage, toll plaza or Tollway oasis.

"Motorists who do get stranded should turn on their emergency lights and stay in their vehicles until help arrives. Cell phone users should call *999 for roadway assistance or to report other motorists pulled over on the side of the road."