In case of emergency in Winter driving
Stay in your vehicle. It can provide enough shelter to save your life. Also, it's much easier for rescuers to see.
Run the engine for only 5-10 minutes each hour, with the heater on to the max. Make sure drifting snow doesn't block the exhaust pipe. Check each time before restarting engine (unless obvious not snowing/no wind), and shovel any snow out from the rear end as needed.
Protect any critical liquid medications such as insulin from becoming frozen. If there is no more heat from your vehicle, keep it next to your body.
If you must go outside to search for help or food, do so only in the morning hours after sunrise when it's not snowing or foggy, and then only for one hour each way. If for some reason, you've left your vehicle and can't return, make or dig a snow shelter (i.e. primitive igloo) at once.
Assuming no cell phone service, have your phone on every 15 minutes per hour. Then turn it totally off (usually the "end" button on newer phones) to help save its battery. Don't waste the battery trying to dial numbers where there's no service. Rescuers can use portable receivers and direction finders to pick up its signal. However, even if they do, it's not possible to communicate with you over the phone. If battery power has become critical, leave the phone off after dark, as rescue efforts are often suspended sunset to sunrise.
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The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Winter driving
