4 Tips to Handle Cold Weather
#1. Put together a winter gear kit and keep it in your car. Prepare ahead of time to be ready for winter conditions. Your kit should include warm clothes and blankets and any medicine you might need. Pack a flashlight and extra batteries and don’t forget a good scraper for your car windows. Bring extra food and water.
#2. Inflate your tires to meet the recommendations of the manufacturer. Check the tread before winter conditions strike.
#3. Make sure you have at least half a tank of gas in your car before any trip. Even better, fill up the day before you leave.
#4. Take a phone charger with you and be sure it is working. Charge your phone fully before you leave the house. Tell others where you are going, the route you are taking, when you are leaving and when you plan to arrive. Check in with them before and after your trip.
5 Tips to Drive Safely in the Snow
#1. Ask yourself if you really need to drive in the snow. Never take unnecessary risks.
#2. Go slow! That means drive slower in ice and snow to account for reduced traction. Accelerate slowly. Slow down slowly. You will slip and slide less often and keep better control.
#3. Keep extra distance between you and the car ahead. It takes more time to stop in bad weather. Account for that by increasing the space between cars.
#4. Don’t accelerate to get up a hill. It’s tempting try to power up an incline, but you’re more likely to make your wheels spin.
#5. Apply firm, steady pressure to the brake. Don’t be jerky.
4 Tips If You Get Stuck in the Snow
#1. If you stall in winter weather, stay in your vehicle if possible. This gives you protection from low temperatures and ice and snow. Never try to walk to find help if conditions are severe. It is too easy to get lost.
#2. Make yourself as visible as possible so your car as easy as possible to spot. Tie a bright piece of cloth to your antenna or top of a window that’s rolled up. If it’s dark out, put the dome light on so rescuers can see you. This light uses very little electricity.
#3. Stay warm and safe. Use anything available to cover yourself. Don’t over-exert yourself if you are trying to dig out your car. Use the blankets you packed in your winter gear kit. Consider using floor mats and anything made of paper.
#4. Use gas sparingly. Start the car occasionally to run the heater just enough to take off the chill. Then turn it off.
