Ways To Prepare Your Vehicle For Winter Weather

If you plan on getting out on the roads during this winter weather, it is important to prepare for an emergency.

When drivers are on icy roads and winter weather conditions worsen, first responders may stop responding to non-injury accidents.

Preparing for that moment is important because you don't know how long you may be stranded after a wreck.

Experts say the most important part is staying warm and dry; these are some items you'll want to keep in your vehicle if it stops running.

1. Wear extra clothing to stay warm; If you begin to sweat, remove a layer or two, as sweating during freezing conditions causes the body to lose heat faster.
2. Wear a hat and gloves; Heat can be easily lost through an uncovered head, and gloves will keep your extremities warm while outside for long periods.
3. Food and water; if you become trapped for a long time, having water and food items can keep you from going hungry when needed.
4. Survival kit; a first-aid kit can come in handy, but having items such as a flashlight, a fire starter, a pocketknife, and an emergency blanket can come in handy when needed.
5. Portable power; a spare phone charger can be extremely useful when outside the home, and having equipment such as a battery booster and jumper cables to jump-start your vehicle can help you get out of a dangerous situation.

"We do get calls where people will say 'I slid off an icy road, not only am I stuck, but I have my baby with me and I'm wearing shorts and flip flops and I don't have any blankets or food,'" Oklahoma AAA representative Jason Cravens said. "That turns a bad situation into a potentially tragic situation."

AAA said it wants drivers to slow down to whatever speed allows for wheel traction. So even if the speed limit is 35 mph, AAA says nothing is wrong with going 20 or even 10 miles an hour as long as it keeps you safe on icy roads.

During severe winter weather, AAA says call volume goes up by 15% or 20%. However, for this particular storm, AAA said it feels confident in good response times.