Emergency Winter Driving Kit

One of the most important things to have in your car in the wintertime is a blanket. When temperatures are cold enough to snow you need to stay bundled up in order to keep from getting hypothermia. If you are walking around or riding in a heated car you won't need a blanket but if your car is stuck in a snowbank the temperature inside the car will drop quickly. Having a blanket handy will help you to keep your body temperature toasty warm. 

Wrap up. If it is really cold and you are with others in the car, snuggle together with blankets wrapped around you. Be sure to carry at least one blanket per person riding in the car. A blanket will keep you warm until help arrives.

If your car breaks down or you slide off into a snowy ditch, be sure you have spare winter clothing tucked into your trunk. Include a pair of socks and winter boots to keep your feet warm. Add a sweat suit, long sleeved shirt, sweater and a winter coat. Layering is the best way to stay warm.

Don't forget gloves to keep your extremities warm. Having a couple of pairs of gloves will be important if you need to shovel out, brush snow off your car, scrape ice from the windshield or otherwise need to be out in the elements where your hands could get snowy and thus wet. 

A hat and or a scarf will keep your head warm. They say that most of the heat in our bodies can escape through our head. Put on a hat or wrap a scarf around your head and neck to help retain that heat. If you have a hood on your coat, put that on too. Frankbeswick suggests a balaclava, the kind of ski hat with just holes for your eyes, nose and mouth. Great idea!

Staying dry is essential to keeping warm. Having extra snow gear means that if something gets snowy and wet you always have an extra set to change into.

Of course you don't want to overload your car but there are some other things you might want to keep in your car. Here are some suggestions from readers:

• Fingernail clippers
• A first aide kit
• Chapstick
• Flashlight
• Jumper Cables
• Cellphone and charger
• Handwritten list of emergency phone numbers (In case your cell phone battery dies.)

Of course the reason that we worry about keeping warm is to prevent frostbite and hypothermia both of which can cause permanent damage and even death.

You can read about these two symptoms of over exposure to the cold in articles by the Mayo Clinic in order to better understand how to prevent them.

•  Frostbite 
•  Hypothermia

Keep your emergency supplies in your car at all times. Stay warm and safe.

Until today I had never thought about keeping candles in the car in case of emergencies. Candles can cause fires and would seem strange in a car but then I needed to rethink this idea. Candles also produce heat and light, both greatly appreciated if you are stuck in the snow on a cold, dark night.

With the candles you will also need to keep a stash of strike anywhere matches. I put mine in a metal Band-Aid box and then slip it into a ziplock bag to keep them dry.

Of course you don't want to just attach the candle to your dashboard. Include a large metal coffee can. Light the candle and drip some wax in the bottom to make it stand up. Then add some water to the bottom to prevent a fire. Or use a Prayer Candle which comes in a glass vase and can be much more stable. A votive would also be quite stable.

Place your candle in the middle of the car in a spot where it will not be able to ignite clothing or papers. Be sure to crack your window to let in fresh air.

Use your candle as a light source as well as a heater. Read a book, write in your notebook, or do a puzzle to pass the time.

Turn your nightmare into a pleasant evening with a candle or two heating and lighting up your car.

When the roads get bad, before you get stuck in the snow, you have an alternative. You can get off the highway and find a place to stay until the road conditions improve. 

Royalton Bed and Breakfast is located between Exits 2 and 3 off I-89 in central Vermont. 

Recently we had an ice storm with cars sliding off the road left and right. Many people stopped at gas stations, worried and undecided about continuing. 

Two different parties called me about staying at my bed and breakfast. One party decided to book a room, drove the three miles to my B&B and were warm and cozy for the night.

The other party called me back from the highway. They had decided to continue driving but had slid off the road just south of the exit. They spent the night in their car.

Before you continue on, when the roads are no longer safe to drive on, find a bed and breakfast or other lodging and wait for the road crews to do their job.

PS: You will find a link for reservations to my B&B just below. We are open year round and welcome you whether the weather is good or bad.