November is an excellent time to prepare for the upcoming winter season. To help in this cause, the Missouri Department of Public Safety, together with the National Weather Service and the Missouri Highway Patrol, declared today as was Winter Weather Awareness Day. A huge part of this initiative was to keep drivers safe on the roads of Missouri, once the weather takes a turn for the worst. Some of the tips can be especially helpful for people who drive a lot through the rural or isolated areas that surround the city of St. Joseph, and can be useful even if you do not get involved in a car accident.
Missouri Winters Can Be Dangerous for Drivers
Missouri winters have been relatively tame in recent years. However, there is always the threat of a devastating winter season. While these rarely entail significant snow totals, they often result in something just as bad for winter driving: Exceptionally cold temperatures.
When the temperatures drop into the teens and single digits, your car suffers the most. Liquids freeze, metallic parts in your engine become brittle, and your vehicle’s reliability suffers. Even if you follow all of the winter weather driving tips and avoid a car crash, your vehicle can break down. These breakdowns can be life-threatening if they happen at the wrong time in one of the remote areas around the St. Joseph and Kansas City locales – these areas have little traffic and spotty cell phone service.
Pack a Winter Survival Kit in Your Car
Following our tips for preparing your vehicle for winter weather is crucial if you want to avoid a break down. However, a vehicle breakdown can still happen, even if you take all of these steps. This is especially true if your car is old or has shown signs of unreliability, already. Being ready for this possibility by also packing winter survival kit in your car can save your life.
As a part of the Winter Weather Awareness Day, the National Weather Service included a listing of the things that you should keep in your car throughout the winter months, in case you get stranded on the road after a car accident or vehicle problem and cannot reach help. This gear can fit in a small bag in the back of your car, and includes:
- Nonperishable food that has lots of calories, like candy or canned goods (remember to include a can opener),
- A blanket or extra clothes,
- A brightly-covered cloth or bandana, and
- A shovel.
If your car breaks down or you get stuck and cannot get back on the road after trying to dig yourself out, tying the brightly-colored cloth to your antenna and hunkering down is your best option. You can also help yourself by packing a sign that says “Send Police” in your survival kit and putting it in your window if you get stuck. Other drivers can then notify authorities of your situation. Troop H even has a supply of these signs at their headquarters that you can pick up.
St. Joseph Car Accident Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
The personal injury and car accident attorneys at the Smith Law Office want everyone to stay safe on the roads this winter. If you get hurt in a car crash, though, call their St. Joseph law office at (816) 875-9373 or contact them online.