MISHAWAKA — It's yet another effect of the slumping economy. As snow fell again Thursday night, it became clear that a lack of money is driving some people toward trouble.

By early Thursday evening, the latest round of lake-effect snow was already causing some problems on local roads. Police reported slide-offs and fender benders across the area.

But if your car or truck isn't prepared for winter, just getting out of your driveway could turn into a real problem, as the falling snow made effects of the faltering economy even worse.

Most drivers WSBT spoke with said they know what they need to do to get through it.

"I had the oil changed, and had it greased. I also checked my anti-freeze," said Roberta Rogenski of South Bend.

"I had the radiator flushed and anti-freeze put in," echoed Dinah Graham of South Bend.

But many drivers said they also know what they haven't done to prepare for winter. For Graham, issue number one is where the tires meet the road.

"I probably need to rotate the tires or have new tires put on. [But right now, there's just no money.] No money to do it," she said.

It's becoming a common story at car care shops across the area.

When asked if customers have come in to winterize their cars, Gurley-Leep Senior Master Technician Mike Trump had a simple reply.

"Very few. Very few," he repeated.

Even the customers he has seen are suddenly asking new questions.

"With the Christmas holiday coming up, It's come down to, do I want to spend $300 on tires, or do I spend $300 on Billy to buy his toy? You set priorities, and a lot of the time cars fall at the bottom of the priority list," Trump said.

Experts agree that can be a dangerous gamble, especially when it comes to your tires.

"Tires are the most important thing," Trump said. "Make sure you have good tread depth on your tires. Bald tires don't do much in the snow."

There are several ways of checking, including old fashioned "penny test."

"If you stick a penny in the groove of the tire, it should cover up Lincoln's head. If it doesn't, then it's time to replace them," Trump said. "But there's also what's called a "wear bar" across most tires. If you can see that wear bar, it's too low."

If a tire showing the wear bar isn't addressed, Trump says trouble can follow in snow and ice.

"If you get a smooth tire like that, it sits on top of the snow and ice, and it doesn't blow the debris away through those grooves. So, you're actually riding on top of all that junk that's on the road," he said.

The problem is, many drivers aren't heeding the warnings.

"We're seeing more and more people come in with tires that probably should have been replaced long ago, and they push them to the absolute limit," said Mishawaka Big O Tires Owner Walt Lentine. "We're seeing a lot of that right now."

But tires aren't the only place where drivers need to "winterize."

Take anti-freeze for example.

"If it's not rated right, your car could freeze up and freeze hard as the temperatures get colder. It may not start, or you could even end up with a situation where you could cause damage to your engine," Lentine said.

Experts say you should also check your brakes and battery, and the list goes on.

Even windshield wipers and washer fluid can be critical in ice and snow.

"If it don't clear, you don't see!" said Trump.

They all add up to some simple advice from the pros.

"Get them taken care of now before you run into a situation where you should've done it sooner. Don't put it off. Otherwise, you could get yourself into some real trouble."

After all, there's still a long road ahead to get to spring.