Winter Driving Emergency Essential Tips

Every Winter season, we see people on the news who have been hurt or killed due to hazardous winter driving conditions. When we're out and about in our vehicles, the weather can change from minute to minute during any season, but especially during the Wintertime. If the conditions aren't good, it's always best to simply not drive, if at all possible. This is the best way to stay safe, but here are some tips for keeping safe if you absolutely must be on the road this Winter.

Get Weather Updates

Before you head out, it's absolutely critical that you check the latest weather updates. You'll get the most up to date weather if you check a weather app on your phone, tablet or other device. Try setting up the app to send you alerts when there are any advisories or warnings in your area. These alerts could save your life, or at least help you to avoid unnecessary problems.

You should also have a weather radio in your car, along with some extra batteries. A good weather radio will get a signal in areas where AM or FM signals may be quite weak. You'll want to have a weather radio in case your cell phone battery runs out.

Be Prepared

Some essential winter safety supplies include LED flashlights, extra water, extra food, blankets, batteries for the flashlights and candles. Here's a handy trick to keep you warm in your car if you get stuck in the snow. Keep a candle in the vehicle as well as a lighter or some matches. If you light a candle, even just a small one, it will warm up your whole car to a tolerable temperature for as long as it burns.

No matter how beautiful it may look, snow can be treacherous. You should make sure to have essentials for driving in the snow, such as chains and/or snow tires and some tools to help you dig out of the snow and scrape the snow off your vehicle if you get stuck.

Things To Watch For

Black ice is a big danger in the Wintertime. Black ice forms when water is on the ground, but then it freezes. Black ice is pretty much invisible and will cause your tires to slip. Even more hazardous is when snow gathers on top of the black ice, making it even more difficult to steer out of.