Winter Survival - Minnesota

1 In Your CarWinter SurvivalSurvival TipsEveryone should be cautious about traveling in extremewinter weather. Cold, snow and ice are demanding oncars, drivers and passengers. Cold affects metal, rubberand other materials in your car. It can reduce the effec-tiveness of your vehicle s battery by at least 50 can freeze tires and keep them flat on the bottom forat least the first half-mile of travel. It can thicken yourcar s lubricants, making the engine work too hard. Most importantly, extreme Winter weather can threatenyour life. Follow these tips to stay safe as you drive in Before You TravelSimple planning can save you trouble and even saveyour Your VehicleBe sure your vehicle is in good Winter driving along the emergency equipment referred to in thisbooklet and keep it accessible.

2 Keep your gas tank at least one-half Aware of the WeatherListen to forecasts, road reports and storm appropriately. pack extra scarves and extra time for trips in severe Yourself Easy to FindTell someone where you are going and the route youwill take. Report your safe arrival. If you stall or getstuck, tie a colored banner (from your Winter survivalkit) to your antenna or hang it out a window. At night,remove the cover from your dome light and turn thelight on. Road crews or rescue units can see a smallglow at a considerable distance. To reduce batterydrain, use emergency flashers only if you hearapproaching vehicles.

3 Keep one person on watch; don t let everyone rest at the same in Your VehicleWalking in a storm can be very dangerous. You mightlose your way or become exhausted, collapse and riskyour life. Your vehicle is a good OverexertionShoveling snow or repositioning your car by pushing ittakes a lot of effort in storm conditions. You could riskheart attack or injury. Take it easy!Keep Cool Two Ways1. Calm down and think. The storm will end and you will be Don t work enough to get hot and sweaty. Wet clothing loses insulation value, making you susceptible to Fresh Air in Your VehicleIt s much better to be cold and awake than comfortablywarm and sleepy.

4 Wet or wind-driven snow can plugyour vehicle s exhaust system and cause deadly carbonmonoxide gas to enter your vehicle. Don t run theengine unless you are sure the exhaust pipe is free of snow. Keep snow off the radiator to prevent theengine from Warm Without FuelKeep your blood circulating freely by loosening tightclothing, changing positions frequently and movingyour arms and legs. Huddle close to one another. Rub your hands together or put them in your armpitsor between your legs. Remove your shoes occasionallyand rub your t Expect to Be ComfortableThe challenge is to survive until you re found.

5 Be Able to See and Be SeenClean frost and snow off all windows, mirrors, lightsand reflectors. Equip your car with good wiper bladesand keep an ample supply of windshield washer visibility is poor, use a Feel for the RoadWhen you first start out, accelerate carefully to testwheel-spin and brake gently to test GentleUse the accelerator and brakes slowly to maintain control of your vehicle. Fast acceleration can makewheels spin on ice and snow. Brake with a gentlepumping action. Stepping too hard on the pedal willlock the brakes and cause loss of steering Driving Tipscontinued on next pageIncrease Your Following DistanceIce or snow can multiply your stopping distance up to ten Turns Slowly and GraduallyHeavily traveled intersections can become polished and slick.

6 Brake before you come to a curve, not whileyou are in in the Direction of the SkidIf the rear of your car begins to slide, turn into thedirection of the skid. Expect a second skid as the carstraightens out, and be prepared to counter this sliding Slippery SpotsIcy spots on the road surface can cause loss of steering control. Do not use your brake. Take your foot off the gas and steer as straight as possible untilyour car slows to a safe a CollisionIn an emergency situation, you can intentionally steeryour car off the road and into a snow bank. You mayget stuck, but you ll avoid a an empty three-pound coffee can or any similarcontainer with a plastic cover to store the followingitems:nSmall candles and matchesnSmall, sharp knife and plastic spoonsnRed bandanna or clothnPencil and papernLarge plastic garbage bagnSafety pinsnWhistlenSnacksnCell phone adapter to plug into lighternPlastic flashlight and spare batteries Reverse batteries in the flashlight to avoid accidentalswitching and burnout.

7 Warm batteries before usingthem. Store safety items in the passenger compart-ment when severe Winter weather threatens in case the trunk is jammed or frozen shut. Choose smallpackages of food that you can eat hot or cold. Making a Winter Driving Survival KitSuggested food items:nRaisins in small packetsnSemi-sweet chocolate in pieces for sharingnMiniature candy barsnChewing gumnWrapped hard candiesnFood barsnCanned soup, meat and poultryStore bulky and heavy items in an accessible place:n30-foot cord to use as homing line when you must exit the vehiclenBooster cablesnBasic toolsnSand, cat litter or other grit in a plastic milk cartonnShovelnTow cables or chainnSleeping bag or blanketsnRoad flares and reflectorsnSnowmobile suit and heavy bootsIf you become stranded in any part of Minnesota , and you have a cell phone, call 911 to summon other states, you may be able to dial 911 or 0 toreach an operator.

8 When you talk with authorities:nProvide information on your location, condition of all persons in the vehicle and the problem you are experiencingnFollow instructions; you may be told to stay where you are and wait for rescuers nDo not hang up until you know who you have spoken with and what will happen next nIf you must leave your vehicle, write down your name, address, phone number and destination. Place the piece of paper inside the front windshield for someone to seeMinnesota Department of Public SafetyHomeland Security and Emergency ManagementEmergency Phone Calls