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needed.

Be sure to keep a spare tire as well, and make sure it is inflated, has no leaks and is in good repair. It can also be a good idea to keep a small, portable air compressor in your vehicle. Usually you can find a good one of these at your local car parts store.

Finally, cold weather can make older vehicles hard to start. When you sit in your car for a long period of time, trying to get it to start, often you will kill the battery. So keep jumper cables handy.

Survival items to keep in your car are several. You will want the following: Enough water for each person who rides in your car to have water for a day. In other words, at least a half gallon per person. This can add up, so just get a crate of bottled water and keep it in there only for emergencies. You also want some basic food items, such as granola bars and beef jerky.

Yes, the back of your car is getting full, but better safe than sorry. You will also want a couple of warm blankets in your survival kit. Be sure to add waterproof matches, maps of wherever you will drive, a compass, perhaps even a prepaid phone and a flashlight. Finally, keep a swatch of very bright cloth in there as well.

Now, my fine motoring mateys, you are prepared for anything.

DURING CRISIS

However, this doesn't mean you'll never have an unexpected crisis while driving in winter weather. Perhaps black ice will get the better of you. Perhaps you won't quite gauge the slope right, or leave enough time to brake, and your car will become close friends with a snow bank. Worse, perhaps you will have car trouble on a remote road somewhere. Here are survival tips as recommended by a search and rescue professional and the CDC.

*Stay warm and dry. Yes, this is obvious, but it is necessary as well. This means that if you get stuck in your car and it is a long way to services or help, you should stay in the car. The car is shelter and warmth. It is also easier to find.

The main idea here is that you keep your body temperature under control.

*Eat and drink wisely. This also keeps your body temperature under control and normal, as well as maintaining proper body function.

*Tie your bright cloth to the antenna of your car. If you don't have one, pull the windshield wiper up so that it stays up and tie the cloth to that.

*Wrap yourself in blankets and stay close to other passengers to conserve heat.

*Run your car for one 10 minute period each hour. While running the car, be sure that the exhaust pipe isn't clogged with snow and keep a window cracked for fresh air.

*Try to move your arms and legs regularly to keep blood flowing and temperature up. Also, stay awake.

*Finally, while snow looks like a good source of water, it isn't. Don't eat unmelted snow. Instead, get a cupful or canful of it, let it melt, then drink it. Otherwise you will be lowering your body temperature by eating snow.

Some final points to keep in mind for winter survival:

*Don't travel in inclement weather! That's right, be flexible and wise enough that if the weather is crummy, you just stay home.

*Be aware of road conditions. So listen to the radio and keep abreast of incoming weather.

*Keep people informed. Make sure someone who is not travelling knows where you're going and when you expect to be there. Encourage them to notify authorities if you don't arrive near to the time you said you would.

With these tips, you're going to be fine. So don't worry, don't fear the snow, and don't call the SWAT team yet.

Learn more about this author, Jared Garrett.
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