Winter Accessories

Being prepared for winter also means you will need to have the right tools and accessories ready in the case of an emergency or just for your won convenience. One of the most useful things I have found to be is the common crowbar, it does everything. It can pop open a frozen hood, it can be used to dig out snow from under the tire when its almost pure ice, it can be used to help pop open a stuck door and finally it can also make a great window breaker if you are not careful. Always keep a crowbar in the car – it makes a great deterrent to anyone who would carjack you too. When you are driving in the cold, be dressed for walking out in the cold. You never know when the vehicle you are in could have a collision or a mechanical failure that will strand you – and if you are near housing or other people and places it is best to walk there for help than to stay stranded in a car. Now, one of the more controversial things to keep with you is, of course, the cellular phone. Don’t talk and drive, but keep it in case you need emergency help, and know your surroundings. A good emergency phone is one with track-able GPS so rescue personnel can find you.

Other things to have in your car involve the emergency aspect, such as heat packs that will activate upon being cracked inside through a chemical reaction, glow sticks, a flash light, a first aid kit that contains special heat containing blankets, and of course a battery operated radio. In addition to this, yes as mentioned before, chains, you need a set of tire chains or else you could really be stuck. It is also a good idea to keep along an emergency cache of gasoline and oil in the trunk during winter – as being stranded means you may need to run the heater off and on. However I would personally put my efforts more toward getting unstuck. If you want to you can also have an emergency salt bag to keep snow melted around the muffler, or to get unstuck, along with a folding shovel. Who knows, it may save your life. Oh, and for Pete’s sake, keep a pair of winter gloves that fit so that the news story doesn’t mention amputations of your fingers after you rescue your car and yourself