How to Survive a Winter Night in Your Car

Winter storms can be unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous — especially if you’re driving. Before you hit the road this winter, here are a few tips on how to prepare for inclement weather and what to do if you need to survive a night in your car.

Know the Risk

In general, it’s best to stay off the road when severe winter weather is predicted. It may sound harrowing, but about 70 percent of winter weather-related injuries occur in an automobile, and about 25 percent of injuries happen to people caught out in a storm, National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) reports. According to Ready.gov, the cold of a winter storm can increase the risk of frostbite and hypothermia. Combating the rain, snow, wind and ice could lead to overexertion from shoveling snow and car accidents due to dangerous driving conditions.

In addition to paying attention to weather reports on TV, radio and the internet, Ready.gov suggests making sure your cellphone is set up to receive wireless emergency alerts. Weather alerts, which are part of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, are similar to text messages and notify you of serious weather conditions and recommended actions. You can also tune into your local NOAA Weather Radio station for continuous weather broadcasts, official watches, warnings and more.

Be Prepared

It’s generally a good idea to winterize your car every year before winter weather rolls around. A tune up, properly inflated tires, new windshield wiper blades and topped-off fluids may help prepare your car for the lower temperatures and help it better handle inclement weather. And it’s a good idea to keep a fully stocked winter emergency kit in your car, just in case. Some items to include are:

• First aid kit
• Essential medications
• Flares or reflectors to signal for help and warn other drivers
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Cellphone and portable charger
• Jumper cables
• Snow and ice scraper
• Snow brush
• Survival blanket or sleeping bag
• Tire chains and/or tow straps
• Extra set of winter clothes
• Snow shovel
• Non-clumping kitty litter or sand for traction

However, an emergency kit and winterizing your vehicle don’t guarantee safety in a storm. If your area is under a winter storm warning, it is best to stay off the road. If you’re already on the road, seek shelter right away if inclement weather is approaching and driving conditions are expected to be hazardous. You may also want to share information about your trip before you leave. Tell a friend or family member your destination, your planned route and when you expect to arrive, recommends the American Red Cross. That way, if your vehicle gets stuck, they will know where to tell the authorities to send help.

If You Become Stranded

If you’re stuck in your car and immobile, you’ll typically have a better chance of being found if you remain with your car — which may also provide the best shelter from the elements. Here are some important tips to help you survive the night.

Call for Help

Even if you’re unsure if the situation is a true emergency, 911.gov recommends dialing 911.

Stay in Your Vehicle

After you’ve called for help, stay in your vehicle and wait, says the Red Cross. Do not leave the car, as blowing snow may cause you to become disoriented and lost.

Make Your Car as Visible as Possible

While you wait for help or wait out the storm, the American Red Cross suggests signaling that you need help. For example, raise the hood after the snow stops falling or, if you have a radio antenna, add a piece of colored fabric, preferably red, to it. Weather.com recommends turning on your hazard lights, and you may also want to set out reflectors from your emergency kit.

Concentrate on Keeping Warm

Inside the car, do light exercises — such as moving your arms and legs, and clapping your hands — to maintain circulation. If another person is in the car with you, huddle for warmth. Use extra layers, such as removable floor mats or even a paper map, to help trap more body heat, the American Red Cross advises.

You can also run the engine for about 10 minutes every house to keep warm, says the Red Cross. Only run the engine for short amounts of time and ensure that the exhaust pipe is clear of snow to help reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Drink Plenty of Fluids

This will help you avoid dehydration, which makes you more susceptible to the potential health hazards of cold weather, according to the American Red Cross. The Colorado Department of Transportation recommends keeping a gallon of water in your vehicle.

Hopefully you stay safe and warm during a winter storm, but it’s always a good idea to be ready, just in case. With these tips, you can better prepare for handling a winter storm and surviving a cold night in your car.

Originally published on November 3, 2016.

The post How to Survive a Winter Night in Your Car appeared first on The Allstate Blog.

Don’t Let Road Gators Bite: Tips for Avoiding Tire Debris

Blown-out tire treads lying on the road are known in the trucking industry as “road gators.” When you’re driving down the highway, the textured rubber of a tire tread lying flat in your lane can almost look like the ridges and scales on the back of an alligator lying in wait. Road gators can happen at any time, especially on interstates where the speed limit is 70 or 75 mph. Most motorists notice road gators safely sunning themselves on highway shoulders but sometimes, they end up in the travel lane, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out so you can avoid them.

A road gator’s bite may surpass that of a its namesake, slicing open oil pans, ripping off steering components, smashing through windshields and causing panicked drivers to lose control of their vehicles, attempting to avoid the beasts.

Here’s some information on why road gators occur and what steps to take if a vehicle loses its tire tread in front of you on the highway.

Don’t Be a Gator Creator

Low tire pressure causes a majority of tire failures, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Another cause is damage from smacking curbs, potholes and road hazards. To help avoid creating baby road gators, the NHTSA suggests that drivers check tire pressure with a quality tire gauge before every trip, never exceed the weight limit of the vehicle or its tires, avoid road hazards and regularly inspect tires for cuts or other damage.

Driving any distance on a flat or severely underinflated tire may severely damage the tire. For vehicles with tires in pairs — heavy trucks, recreational vehicles, dually pickups — continuing to drive with one flat tire may cause damage to its mate: Tires are paired to help expand load-carry capability, not for extended mobility.

Summer is known as prime road gator season because heat can be one of a tire’s biggest enemies. Underinflation, high speeds and uneven highways can combine to increase heat in a tire. Overheating breaks down the tire’s internal components — both fabric and the bonds between different layers and types of rubber. Soon, another road gator will be born.

Gator-Dodging Techniques

Here’s what passenger vehicle drivers can do to help avoid road gators.

• Keep Your Distance on the Road: To help increase your reaction time while on the road, stay 3 to 5 seconds behind the driver or truck in front of you, and never tailgate, according to the National Safety Council. Scan the roadways for debris so that you have time to react. Look far ahead and notice what you see. Increasingly larger bits of rubber laying on the freeway may mean a truck tire just shed its tread and a road gator may be in your lane. A big rig sitting alongside the road a half-mile ahead is an extra hint.
• Look for Brake Lights and Swerving: If you notice a rash of brake lights and swerving cars ahead, slow down.
• Reduce Your Speed: If you find a road gator in your lane, reduce your speed before attempting an evasive maneuver. Swerving at highway speeds to avoid road debris is too dangerous and should be avoided when possible.
• Stay Calm: Hitting a road gator may spoil your day, but panicked, aggressive steering can be a lot worse. Keeping control of your car is key.
• Respect Big Rigs: Never cruise alongside a big rig as it may not be safe due to their large blind spots, longer stopping distances and limited maneuverability, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This is especially true if you hear the early cries of a road gator. An uneven howl or continuous “whap-whap-whap” may mean a tire is soon to shed its tread, in which case you’ll want to safely move away from the large truck.
• The Shoulder May Be Your Friend: If you need to swerve around a road gator, the shoulders of many interstates offer adequate traction if — and this is a big “IF” — you can keep two tires in the traffic lane. If you spot a road gator, keep calm and smoothly drive toward the shoulder. The shoulder may be dirty and slippery — and it’s where old road gators live — so make a slow, smooth turn back onto the freeway. Also — you don’t need to miss a road gator by 3 feet; 3 inches are plenty, so don’t swerve more than you need to. A little cautious steering goes a long way at highway speeds.

Seeing road gators is part of highway driving these days, but remember that they can be dangerous if they are in your driving path. If you can spot them early and learn how to safely maneuver around them, you may help prevent an accident or vehicle damage. Remember these tips to help avoid road gators so that you get to your destination safely.

Originally published on June 19, 2014.

The post Don’t Let Road Gators Bite: Tips for Avoiding Tire Debris appeared first on The Allstate Blog.