Winter Road Trip Survival Guide
Even if you're a skilled driver with a well-maintained car, ice and snow are hazardous, and you should know what to do if your car breaks down or slips off the road in the middle of nowhere. Survival stories like those of the family that recently found itself lost in Nevada show the importance of being prepared.
Unless you can see a nearby house or building, striking off into the wilderness in search of help is not the best idea. Here's what to do instead:
How to Get Rescued
If you go missing, search teams will first check the roadways along your route. Staying in your car will keep you near the road in a visible landmark, so you are more likely to be spotted by this first wave of searchers. Search-and-rescue personnel say that stationary targets, such as survivors huddled in a car, are easier to find than moving targets, such as wandering hikers. If you leave the car you may inadvertently miss your rescuers.
Your car also offers the best options for improving your visibility, which is key to being rescued. If your battery still runs, turn on your headlights and emergency flashers. Most car horns are audible up to a mile away, so blow three long blasts in a row to signal for help.
Your winter-road-trip emergency kit should contain road flares or reflectors. Use these items if you have them, but if you've forgotten your kit or can't get to it, improvise. Remove a hubcap and pour a small amount of engine oil onto it. If you can retrieve a little gasoline from your fuel tank (try tying a rag to the end of a wire and dipping it into the tank), you can use it to help start a fire with the oil. Place the hubcap on or beside the road as an improvised flare. The smoke will also be visible from a distance during the day.
If your car slid off the road, you can walk back to the road to tie a brightly colored cloth around a tree or fence post where it will be seen by rescuers. If you can leave a trail of these markings directly to your car, that's even better. Just make sure that you can find your way back to the car, and return to it as soon as possible. Even if it takes several days for help to arrive, rescuers are more likely to find you if you stay in your vehicle.
Shelter in Place
You can survive in the snowy wilderness much longer without food or even water than you can without shelter from the elements. Your car offers better shelter from the cold than anything you are likely to find or construct, even if you have a pop-up tent in the trunk. Even if the vehicle is damaged, it is still the best shelter available. If your windows or windshield are broken, use floor mats to cover the hole, keeping warmth inside and snow out.
Maintain heat in the car by keeping the doors closed. Retrieve your emergency supplies from the trunk and keep them in the cabin. If you need to get out of the car temporarily, close the door behind you (make sure you have the keys) and keep all outings as brief as possible.
If the engine still works, your car has an even bigger advantage. Check your exhaust pipes for snow, ice or dirt, and clear them if necessary before starting your car. If they are blocked, exhaust fumes may be pushed back into the cabin, filling it with deadly carbon monoxide. When the engine is running, open the windows an inch or two for ventilation, and never go to sleep with the engine on. Running the engine for 10 to 15 minutes every hour will keep the cabin warm and the battery charged, which means you have headlights, cabin lights and a horn for signaling—and maybe even the radio for entertainment. On half a tank of gas, you should be able to keep this up for several days in most vehicles.
You may not be comfortable, but you will be warm and relatively safe. Even without an emergency kit, you can survive several days without food, and melted snow can provide enough water to keep you hydrated. Stay calm and remain in your car, and you're likely to stay alive, as well.
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