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Your Life! Auto Advisor

Winter Driving & Your Safety

The leading cause of death during winter storms is transportation accidents. Preparing your vehicle for the winter season and knowing how to react if stranded or lost on the road are the keys to safe winter driving. Now is the time to "Be Car Care Aware".

1. BEFORE WINTER STARTS -

Have a ASE Certified Technician check the following items on your car:

Battery

        Antifreeze / Coolant
        Winter Wipers and de-icer windshield washer fluid
        Ignition system
        Thermostat
        Lights
        Flashing hazard lights
        Exhaust system
        Heater
        Brakes
        Defroster
        Oil level (replace existing oil with a winter blend oil or the SAE 5w/30)

2. Install good winter tires - on all 4 wheels (never just 2).

3. Make sure the tires have adequate tread. All-weather radials are rarely adequate for most winter conditions. However, some jurisdictions require that to drive on their roads, vehicles must be equipped with chains or snow tires with studs.

4. Keep a windshield scraper and snow brush for ice and snow removal.

5. Maintain at least a half tank of gas during the winter season to avoid a frozen fuel line..

6. Listen to the radio or call the state highway patrol for the latest road conditions. Always travel during daylight and, if possible, take at least one other person.

7. Dress warmly. Wear layers of loose-fitting, layered, lightweight clothing.

8. Carry food and water. Store a supply of high energy snacks and several bottles of water just in case you get stuck.

9. Carry A Winter Car Kit. Keep these items in your car:

Flashlights with extra batteries (alkaline batteries last longer)

        First aid kit with pocket knife
        Necessary medications
        Several blankets
        Extra clothing: snow boots, hat, scarves, gloves, and jackets.
        Plastic bags (for sanitation)
        Rain gear and extra clothes
        Small sack of sand for generating traction under wheels
        Small shovel
        Basic tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver)
        Booster cables - one man battery jumper works best.
        Brightly colored cloth to use as a flag
        Protein bars and nuts
        Bottled water

What Should You Do During Bad Weather
IF YOU GET TRAPPED IN A CAR DURING A BLIZZARD

1. Stay in the car.

2. Do not leave the car to search for assistance unless help is visible within 100 yards. You may become disoriented and lost is blowing and drifting snow.

3. Display a trouble sign and flashing hazards.

4. Hang a brightly colored cloth on the radio antenna.

5. Occasionally run engine to keep warm.

6. Turn on the car's engine for about 10 minutes each hour. Run the heater when the car is running.

7. Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow, and open a downwind window slightly for ventilation.

8. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.

9. Do minor exercises to keep up circulation.

10. Clap hands and move arms and legs occasionally. Try not to stay in one position for too long.

11. If more than one person is in the car, take turns sleeping.

12. For warmth, huddle together.

13. Use newspapers, maps, and even the removable car mats for added insulation.

14. Avoid overexertion.

15. Cold weather puts an added strain on the heart. If you are unaccustomed to exercise such as shoveling snow or pushing a car can bring on a heart attack or make other medical conditions worse. Be aware of symptoms of dehydration.

Wind Chill
"Wind chill" is a calculation of how cold it feels outside when the effects of temperature and wind speed are combined. A strong wind combined with a temperature of just below freezing can have the same effect as a still air temperature about 35 degrees colder.

Winter Storm Watches and Warnings

A winter storm watch indicates that severe winter weather may affect your area.

A winter storm warning indicates that severe winter weather conditions are definitely on the way.
A blizzard warning means that large amounts of falling or blowing snow and sustained winds of at least 35 miles per hour are expected for several hours.

Frostbite and Hypothermia
Frostbite is a severe reaction to cold exposure that can permanently damage its victims. A loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in fingers, toes, or nose and ear lobes are symptoms of frostbite.

Hypothermia is a condition brought on when the body temperature drops to less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Symptoms of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, slow speech, memory lapses, frequent stumbling, drowsiness, and exhaustion.

If frostbite or hypothermia is suspected, begin warming the person slowly and seek immediate medical assistance. Warm the person's trunk first. Use your own body heat to help. Arms and legs should be warmed last because stimulation of the limbs can drive cold blood toward the heart and lead to heart failure. Put person in dry clothing and wrap their entire body in a blanket.

Never give a frostbite or hypothermia victim something with caffeine in it (like coffee or tea) or alcohol. Caffeine, a stimulant, can cause the heart to beat faster and hasten the effects the cold has on the body. Alcohol, a depressant, can slow the heart and also hasten the ill effects of cold body temperatures.

About the Author
Nationally recognized premier automotive expert, Lauren J. Fix, is an authority on consumer automotive and safety issues as well as car care and repair. You can see Lauren discuss automobile issues on DIY Network television, and learn more about her at her web site at http://www.laurenfix.com

by Susie Glennan

Traveling during the holidays can be a lot of work. So many people travel during this time of year, that I sometimes even wonder who is at home to receive these guests! Here are some tips to simplify your holiday travels, including efficient luggage use, packing tips, and ways to simplify your homecoming.

Finding the right combination of luggage will definitely simplify your traveling! For example, on one trip, my daughter and I had only a few minutes to make our connection so we RAN from one end of O'Hare Airport to the other to catch our plane.

Had our briefpurse bags been on our shoulders, they would have flopped uncomfortably all over the place while we were holding onto our rolling luggage. But since our luggage was stacked efficiently; we were each able to put our bags on top of that rolling luggage, rather than carry them. There was a place for everything so nothing could fall out. AND when we opened our briefpurse bags, we could still reach in and get what we needed at a glance. Nothing had shifted in them.

When you pack your bags, try rolling your suits and other articles. I do this with even my fancy clothes and they look just fine when I unpack and hang them up. Some tips to packing include:

    Decide on basic outfits. Spread these out on your bed.

    Gather the shoes, stockings, undergarments, handbags, jewelry and other accessories for each outfit.

    Now start putting these things in your suitcase.

    Put socks inside of shoes and handbags.

    Put shoes inside of plastic bags.

    Put jewelry and any medications in a little pouch that will fit in your purse.

     Put shampoo, conditioner and other toiletries in a Ziploc freezer bag that won't leak.

     Take a plastic bag for dirty laundry.

The above list will work fine for packing lightly for a short trip too. Just decide on fewer clothes that still mix and match -- for example, two pairs of pants with four mix and match tops, and two pairs of shoes. Do remember that you can always buy something later that you forgot to bring from home.

Some other traveling tips to simplify your trip include leaving your home neat and in order. Then when you come home tired from traveling, you won't have to deal with cleaning. It is wonderful to return to washed laundry; a clean kitchen with counters cleared; trashcans and newspapers taken care of by neighbors or friends.

Be sure your car has been properly taken care of by a mechanic ahead of time if you are driving. If you are flying, be sure to arrange your ground transportation well in advance at both ends. Remember that you will not be able to take even a little Swiss army knife, hair spray or sewing scissors etc. on board an airplane. If you have a lot of extra luggage to take with you, such as gifts, consider mailing boxes via UPS ahead of time or using a separate suitcase. A trusted neighbor should also have a key in case of emergency and a copy of your travel itinerary.

Traveling can actually be a fun adventure if you take time to plan ahead, so you can enjoy the actual journey. There are many nice people to meet along the way, new things to see, quiet time to read and relax. Find things you can do while traveling that you haven't had the time to do while at home.

For example, when our family takes car trips, we pack CDs we haven't been able to listen to yet, and we ask all sorts of questions to find out more about everyone. On my many plane trips, I will read, organize my planner and make new schedules, redo my address book, and read some more! Bon voyage!!

About the Author
Susie Glennan, Thousand Oaks
susie@thebusywoman.com
http://www.thebusywoman.com
Susie Glennan has been happily married since 1982, is mom to 3, and is a Home Maker, Nurturer, Teacher, Author, Professional Speaker, Toastmaster, President of The Busy Woman, Inc., DBA - The Busy Woman's Daily Planner®. She teaches time management seminars, offers FREE consultations with your order, and will help you set up a schedule that's right for you. 800-848-7715.