Winter Emergency Winter Driving Winter Survival Items Winter Driving Winter Road Safety
Winter driving is a test of skills and preparedness sprinkled with luck. A driver needs to react and expect, the unexpected; black ice and sudden, heavy snow squalls can happen almost instantaneously along with a long list of other possible winter challenges. Even the best made vehicles in the world can careen into ditches, skid into fields, or become stuck on impassable interstates, city streets and country roads.
While October, in many northern regions is often designated as Fire Safety Month as many furnaces and other home heating units are fired-up for the approaching winter months; it is also a good idea to check the car survival kit and to re-check it periodically throughout the winter season. From my experience, living in a rural area in the middle of the infamous snow belt region inland from the Great Lakes, the following suggestions are from years of personal experience.
Extra warm clothing is important, not only to raise comfort levels, but the extra clothing can help prevent serious cold-related injuries or worse. Spare gloves, extra pairs of warm socks, spare boots, winter hats and even an extra winter jacket or hooded sweat shirt can make sitting alongside the road a more bearable and safer experience.
First Aid kits, even the most basic, are worth their weight in gold during a snow emergency or at any other times of the year. Kits are usually inexpensive or can be put together easily. A bottle of aspirin, assorted bandages, and medical creams or liquids to be used as disinfectants are examples of items which can be easily packed in the car. If specific medical drugs, are required, be sure to include them in the first aid kit.
Several roadside safety flares can be a godsend, day or night. They are simple to use and cast a noticeable glow. They can serve as a warning beacon to other motorists and act as a guide to your location. Flashlights with extra batteries and bulbs should also be included in any winter driving safety kit.
A good shovel, a bag or two of sand or salt, are also handy items to have on hand in a car or truck, as are an extra jug of anti-freeze for radiators, and windshield washers, along with assorted tools like wrenches, screw drivers and a socket set. While in most cases, it is difficult, if not impossible, to fix a flat tire in a snow emergency, it is a benefit to double check a spare tire and the tools required to change a flat tire.
Cell phones are fairly commonplace, but it helps to keep an extra charger in the vehicle. It should also be remembered, however, that there are areas, particularly rural, where reception is unavailable or poor. Small battery operated radios can provide necessary information if the emergency is storm related and some have the capability to be used as walkie-talkies with a range of several miles.
Depending on the location and the conditions, food and water can become essential. Many camping stores have dehydrated foods which can be easily kept as well as canned or dried foods, or even candy bars. Bottled water can be kept in the car or truck, or packed before beginning a journey.
Camping stores usually have a wide range of devices which can be used for heat or light. These are generally inexpensive, light weight, and, since they are used for camping or hiking activities, do not take up a lot of space.
Waiting for a winter rescue can seem like an never ending experience; it helps to pack along a deck of cards, dice, coloring books for younger children to help pass the time until help arrives.
Naturally, what to keep in your vehicle depends on destination, travel time, and the type of roads which must be traveled; pack accordingly and then a little extra. Winter driving is full of sudden surprises and common sense should rule.
