How To Stay Safe And Warm While Stranded In A Car During Winter
By CAMILA PÉREZ B
One of the most important things to do is to stay inside your car. Leaving your car behind jeopardizes your vehicle and puts you at risk of getting lost or injured.
Stay In The Car
During a blizzard, leaving your car might lead to hypothermia. Unless you know there's shelter nearby, stay in your vehicle, close all the doors and windows, and call for help.
Be prepared with a go-bag of essential items in your car, like socks, gloves, a waterproof jacket, hats, an ice scraper, a flashlight, kitty litter or sand, and traction mats.
Emergency Bag
A stock of non-perishable snacks and fresh water can make your wait more bearable. Ensure the snacks aren't too salty, as salt will make you thirstier.
Although it might seem tempting to keep the car running with the heater on, this will eat up your fuel — which you might need once the weather clears up.
Stay Warm
Instead, run your car for up to 10 minutes per hour to keep things toasty, ensuring your exhaust pipe isn’t clogged. You can also insulate your car using blankets or clothes.
Asking for help is essential if you’re stuck in a winter storm. If your phone is low on battery, send your location to a friend who can alert emergency services.
Help Searchers
Once you've called for help, make your vehicle visible by tying a bright-colored cloth to the door and turning the dome light on while the car is running.
Driving might feel daunting after a bad winter weather episode, but with all the necessary precautions, your next getaway should be smooth and safe.
Back On The Road
Drive slowly, accelerate and decelerate gradually, don’t use cruise control, maintain a greater distance between other cars ahead of you, and don’t stop on hills.