Dress For The Ditch
Winter road trips often offer unique challenges to the most experienced driver. Heavy winds combined with blowing snow, freezing rain, or ice are just some of the more severe weather conditions you may encounter.
Country driving requires a different mindset than urban driving. In town if you happen to have an accident help is always close by. In the country that is not always so, in the event of an accident you may not be able to get out of your car, or reach your cell phone, and you may not be visible to other vehicles passing by.
Living in the country as a teenager my mother used to insist that we "dressed" for the ditch.
With the first early warning signs of the upcoming winter season behind us now is the time to be sure you and your vehicle are "dressed for the ditch"
- Make sure you are dressed warmly - you never know how long you may have to wait for help to arrive
- Make sure your emergency kit is properly stocked:
- blanket
- booster cables
- candle, matches and small tin can
- extra clothing and footwear
- flashlight
- fire extinguisher
- first aid kit
- gas line antifreeze
- ice scrapper / snow brush
- road flares or warning lights
- non perishable energy foods chocolate, granola bars, juice, soup, bottled water
- sand or other traction aid
- shovel
- small tool kit
- tow rope or chain
Some Helpful Links
- TRAVELLERS' ROAD INFORMATION PORTAL
- COMPASS Traffic Cameras
- When visibility turns bad ...driving in blowing snow and whiteouts
- Winter Road Condition Reports
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Kathy Clulow Sales Representative RE/MAX All-Stars Realty Inc.. Brokerage 905.852.6143
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Kathy,
Thank you for the valuable reminders. It is so easy to forget the dangers when we are cruising in our warm cars.
Kathy, watching this video made me sad. I really don't want to think about all the times I'm going to get stuck and have to use salt or sand and a small carpet (that I put under the tires for traction) ... I don't know what else to stick in the trunk. It's all there ... just waiting ...
BRRRRRRRR!!!!!
Kathy,
This makes a lot of sense, and something like this is also a good Christmas gift.
Brian
What a great resource for travelors. Loved the snowy drive! North Idaho is pretty great, but British Columbia is one of the most beautiful places on the planet!
Ron - how often we jump into our cars in light jackets during the winter because we are not planning on spending time outside.
Sylvie - we just never know when we will need them
Brian - pre made kits are already linning the shelves in certain stores
Janna - I looked for an interesting one that was Canadian in content and found this one
Kathy,
That's an excellent list for an emergency kit...Louis gave me a bag with emergency stuff in it, however I haven't yet opened it to see what's inside. Hopefully I'll never have to. ((-;
Jo
Jo - the best emergency kit in the world is the one you have and do not have to use
Kathy great list I keep most of that in my cars year round it always best to be prepared.... peace zane
Zane - I always have some of it but not all of it ... I should head my own advice