How to Plan for Bad Weather Travel

When severe weather hits Oklahoma it usually hits hard. Whether it's a thunderstorm, tornado, flood or ice storm it is important to plan ahead for your and your family's safety, especially if you are forced to evacuate. To prepare your vehicle for a severe weather event you should make a roadside emergency kit that includes: 

• Blankets
• Bottled Water
• Non-Perishable Food And A Can Opener
• Special Needs Items (Diapers, Medications) 
• Flashlight Or Lantern
• Battery Powered Radio And Extra Batteries
• Extra Batteries
• First Aid Kit
• Booster Cables
• Fire Extinguisher (5 Lb., A-B-C Type)
• Tire Repair Kit And Pump
• Maps
• Shovel
• Flares

Even when there is good weather people get into accidents, but the number of accidents increases as the snow and ice begin to fall. If you are ever involved in a traffic accident during severe weather you should:

1. Stay calm. When you are calm you are in control of the situation.

2. Move as far off the roadway as possible, but stay at the scene of the accident; once you're off the roadway activate your hazard lights to warn oncoming traffic of your position on the side of the road.

3. Make sure you and your passengers are all right.

4. Call the police (911) or the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (*55 on your cell phone) to report the accident.

5. Contact your insurance company and report the claim.  The sooner your insurance company knows about the accident, the sooner they can start working to resolve your claim.

6. Do not admit fault for the accident or discuss it with anyone other than the police or trooper and your claims representative.

7. Exchange vital information with the other driver involved in the car accident.
Write down the name, address, phone number and license numbers for all drivers and witnesses, particularly those who were not riding in a vehicle involved in the accident. Also, ask for the insurance companies and policy numbers for drivers involved in the accident.

If you're flying or taking a train the weather can also have an effect on your travel plans.  For train information and reservation on the Heartland Flyer visit Amtrak's website, www.heartlandflyer.com.

For airport delays, arrivals, cancellations and other flight information in Oklahoma visit the Will Rogers Airport's website or the Tulsa International Airport website.