Driving in snow can be challenging. You need to be prepared to face worst-case scenarios on the road.
Just imagine, it snowed overnight and the car is covered all over with ice and you have to go out. Suddenly, the sheet of frozen snow from the car's roof slides down onto the front windshield. This will block the driver's view and creates a blinding glare. Then there is a collision but luckily it was a minor collision with no major injuries or damages. This collision might have been prevented if we were already prepared beforehand.
Some people think that a tank full of gas and keys are only needed to drive a car. Therefore sometimes, we drive cars unprepared but this cannot be done during the winters. Factors such as snow, ice, freezing temperatures, and absolutely unpredictable, it’s crucial and makes winter driving a lot more demanding than normal. There are certain steps which we should take to avoid winter car accidents and preparing for emergencies won't hurt.
We should be prepared for typical accidents that can happen at any time on the road. But during the winters, it is added by tasks like shoveling snow, scraping ice from the windows, maintaining safe tire pressure, making sure that the tires have appropriate traction, and many more. There are few things that everyone should keep in the car at all times especially during the winter. Every car model regardless of in which year it was made it comes with basics such as tire iron and jack, but these two objects alone are not effective. Just in case if the car battery is dead or it is a stuck in snow, we must have some things on our hands for emergencies. Being prepared will make these difficult things easier.
List of essentials to keep in your car while driving in snow
- Strong ice scraper and snow brush
This one is the most important item to keep in the car especially during winters. As we know weather forecasters are not always accurate, so there always a small chance that the gale would end up leaving a few inches of snow on the car. During winters, put an ice scraper and snow brush in the car. The snow and/or ice on cars are very dangerous as this could block the view or fly off and hit another car. Be cautious, always clean the entire car from snow and ice before driving to prevent collisions.
- Sturdy shovel
Just buy a small or compact shovel to keep it in the car trunk. This will prove useful when the car is stuck in the snow or if we want to clear a path to drive.
- Winter Gloves and other warm clothing
We already have snow brushes and shovels but we need to actually use them. Then wearing gloves and warm clothes will make this task easier. We should also keep some hand warmers in the car to prevent frostbite.
- Warm blankets
Have extra blankets in your house? Put some in the car for emergencies. If someone gets stranded or gets into a collision, the atmosphere will get cold fast especially if car won't turn on. We can't always rely on the car's heater; therefore keep warm blankets in the car.
- Emergency flares or reflectors
Snowstorms have the ability to reduce visibility whether it is daytime or nighttime. This reflector will help other cars and emergency cars to find if someone has stopped on the side of the car or if someone is stuck in the middle of the road.
- Rock salt, sand, or kitty litter
Keep churlish materials like rock salt, sand, or kitty litter in the car as this will help the tires to increase traction if the car is stuck outside in the snow. To do this, just spread these materials near the tires and in the car's path to get out of slippery icy situations.
- First aid kit
A first aid kit is very important if someone is injured in a car collision. Though it is needed a whole year as this is one of the most important essentials to keep in the car especially during winters because emergency cars response time might be slow if it is snowing. Conduct basic first aid to the victim(s) till any help arrives.
- Extra windshield washer fluid
Buy a windshield washer fluid that has antifreeze agents to prevent it from freezing. Therefore, keep extra windshield washer fluid in the car and cleaning the windshield with fluid will improve visibility in a snow storm.
- Flashlights
As we know nature's rule that the sky gets dark early in the winters. If someone stonewall or gets stuck at night, use the flashlight to find the problem and their solutions. It can also make people more visible to others on the road.
- Ropes or chains
To get out of the snow, a toy chain or ropes can act as a good and great tool. Therefore, keep ropes or chains in the car especially during the winter season.
- Jumper cables
Cold weather can adversely affect a car's battery. We can't start our cars if the battery is dead which means we can't use the car's heater to keep the car chamber warm. We don't have to wait for a long period of time if we have jumper cables in the trunk of our car.
- Tool kit
We can fix minor car problems with basic tools. We should increase our knowledge by learning simple maintenance techniques so that we do not have to wait for help.
- Sunglasses
As we know sunglasses are more of summer accessories, the sun's reflection on snow is bright. Therefore, wear sunglasses while driving the car on roads to prevent glare.
- Mobile Battery chargers and backups
We should try to keep our phones fully charged before going on roads, but we should also keep mobile battery chargers and backups in our cars as well. This phone can act as the main aid if someone is stuck or involved in a car collision.
- Water and some snacks
If someone gets stuck in the snow, we may have to wait for help. This waiting period may be longer if the road conditions are bad. Keeping water and non-perishable snacks in the car will help in these conditions. Don't forget to keep snacks for kids present in the car as they might get hungry and cranky in these situations.
These are all the essentials needed to keep in the cars during winter. Before going on the road, make sure to have the fuel tank filled and good wiper blades. Check if the wiper blades are in working position beforehand and you can also get snow tires.
