Winter is coming whether we want it to or not. The real question that we need to ask ourselves is, are we ready for winter to be here with our vehicles? According to traffic research, there are over 76,000 people that are injured every year from winter traffic accidents and 24% of all accidents happen because the roads are snow-covered.
NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration) has even researched this topic, and they have found that 70% of winter-related injuries happen in connection with a vehicle. With those kinds of statistics, it makes you question driving a car when it is winter.
Although we wish we could stay home all wrapped up and cozy in a blanket while having a warm beverage, we cannot. We have to get back to work, school, and whatever else you do with your day.
So here is a list of 8 vital things to have in your car for winter. This will help you prepare for any lousy time you may be subject to while traveling those snowy winter roads.
First aid kit with Hand Warmers
A first aid kit is a must in winter weather! We have all been cold before but real cold weather like 0 degrees with a 15 mph wind; this will make it -19 degrees Fahrenheit outside and at that temperature you can suffer from frostbite within 30 minutes.
When it gets that cold is when the hand warmers come in handy. Your vehicle still has the heat on at this time, but we need to plan just in case you
run out of fuel. Your fingers, toes, ear lobes, and end of the nose are the first extremities that your body will give up on if it can not warm your entire body to a steady temperature.
When you start seeing those parts of your body turn red and begin to hurt, this means frostbite is trying to start. When this happens, use one of your hand warmers and put it close to that part of your body.
Not on the skin directly, you want a layer of clothing in between the hand warmer and your skin to prevent burning yourself. Which can happen quickly due to loss of feeling from the low temperatures.
2nd pair of Winter Clothes
The second pair of clothes is a precautionary measure to battle hypothermia. The time it takes for the body to suffer from hypothermia all depends on body fat, age, did the person have any alcoholic beverages, and are they wet. In the case that they are soaked by falling into water, hypothermia can set in even faster!
According to the US Coast Guard if the water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit you could only survive 15 to 45 minutes. You would go into shock for the first 2 minutes then you would suffer functional motor skill disability for 30 minutes roughly. The cold is no joke, and with adding wet clothes into the equation, it can be fatal.
Ice Breaker Spray for Keyhole
When I lived in Canada was the first time I have ever seen ice buildup in a locking mechanism. While still shocked about it, you always need to be ready if it happens.
This spray is easy to use; all you do is put the nozzle into the lock and push. The chemical will spray into the mechanism and thaw and ice buildup that is in there. After you do this, you will be able to unlock the door and get in out of the cold.
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Roadside kit with Flares or LEDs
It used to be road flares were included in roadside kits. Over the years some kits have changed over to the LED triangles. But either way, we need to have this kit in our vehicle at all times.
In the case that you hit some ice and go off of the road, these LED triangles or flares can save your life. When it is snowing, and windy, a person’s line of sight is diminished, and it is challenging to see the road much less a vehicle that is off of the road.
So you will need to put these LED triangles or flares on the road so you can get someone’s attention. Even though we packed to be ready in case this event should happen, you still need to find a way to get out of there and back to safety out of the cold.
While trying to flag down someone, remember to take breaks and get back in your vehicle to warm up. According to the CCOHS Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, when workers are working in the cold temperatures, it all depends on the outside temperature and the wind chill.
Both of those will give us the amount of time that we can stay outside. But from looking at the chart, you will want to keep up to date with any changes in temperature and wind speed because frostbite can set in quick.
The Department of Labor and OSHA both have researched the subject as well. Both of these agencies agree with their Canadian counterparts. Use your vehicles outside temperature reading on the driver’s instrument cluster. In the case that you do not have an outside temperature reading on your car.
Look at the coolant temperature after your vehicle has cooled down, this temperature reading will be 4-5 degrees off of the outside temperature, but at least it will give you an idea of the temperature outside.
If you do not know the temperature outside but need to put your flares or triangles up, cover up as much as possible with your clothes and extra clothes then place the triangles or flares then go immediately back to your vehicle.
1 case of MRE’s
These meals are going to help your body out so very much. Your body is trying to stay warm in the cold climate, so it is burning a lot of calories to make it happen. An average MRE has 1,250 calories in it, and it is stacked with protein.
This is because MRE’s are meant for the military that are doing operations in the field where they need a high amount of energy. Protein is our body fuel, and it will also make us feel full as well.
Remember, even though you have energy and you ate, you still need to cover up, stay out if the cold, and stay warm until help arrives.
Prevent yourself from being stranded on the highway with an overheated vehicle. Here’s my article on How often should I replace my car’s thermostat?
Shovel/E-tool
I am not talking about a standard size shovel like you are going to dig a hole. I am talking about a foldable shovel or an E-tool, the e-tool is a multiple-use item that is used by the military to dig holes, sit on, cut down trees, and can also be used as a weapon.
In your case, you are going to use it if you need to dig your vehicle out or move a small tree that is in our way in the road. Do not try to cut down a big tree, you are not Paul Bunyon, and you are burning vital energy we need to stay warm.
Can of Fuel
Fuel is a great item to have with us, do you know why? Of course to keep the vehicle running but the vital part of our vehicle running is the heat that we are soaking in every time we get out of the bitterly cold winds outside.
So you were right, we need to keep our vehicle running as long as possible. Always try to find a location or a landmark you can use to tell the first responders so they can find you easier.
Have you ever looked into the advantages of spending more on your brake pads? Don’t worry, I have and what I found is here in my article.
Jumper Kit
A jumper kit is vital to your vehicle, due to the cold temperatures if your vehicle’s battery was acting up or not at its 100% before it became cold, it will fail in the winter.
AAA did a study to find out the strength of a car battery depending on the
outside temperature, and they found that a vehicle’s battery will lose 35% of its power at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and 60% of its strength at zero degrees Fahrenheit.
You can pick up a small portable jump start kit for a low price, usually under $100. The portable jump start kit will not take a lot of room in your vehicle, but if your vehicle’s battery is dead, you can give it a quick jump.
Do not jumpstart your battery if it is frozen, and you can tell its frozen if the sides of the battery are bulging. If you jumpstart a frozen battery, it will explode, so be careful.
In Conclusion
In any case, if you see someone that is shivering uncontrollably, incoherent, disoriented, tired, or has slurred speech and you know they have been out in the cold for a while get them inside immediately!! These are the warning signs of hypothermia which means that a person’s core temperature of their body has dropped below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
The time it takes for the body to suffer from hypothermia all depends on body fat, age, did the person have any alcoholic beverages, and are they wet. In the case that they are soaked by falling into water, hypothermia can set in even faster!
Even though we love the winter months with its mounds of snow, friendly snowball fights, and memorable family and friend moments, we need to stay safe at all times. So make sure you take action with this list and keep yourself and your family safe during the winter months.
Thank you for reading my article, and I hope you found it beneficial! Check out my DIY Auto Repair Youtube channel. Make sure you subscribe and hit that bell icon so you can be notified when I release a new video every Monday morning!
