Snow safety tips for the next big storm

Once-in-a-lifetime, one-in-a-million, one-in … whatever you want to call it the gist of the story is southern Ontario saw a lot of snow on Monday.

The falling fluffy stuff was enough to quickly overwhelm many drivers on local roads and even on some of the province's busiest 400-series highways and whether you may have found yourself stuck for hours, a few minutes, or not at all yesterday, today may offer an opportunity to use your 20-20 hindsight to look to the future.

“One thing I think is very important for people to keep in mind on all winter days is how to prepare yourself for any car ride so that, if you do get stranded, that you're not caught in a really difficult situation,” said Tony Tsai, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Services with CAA South Central Ontario.

It's like the old idiom, hope for the best but prepare for the worst, and the experts say staying prepared is as easy as packing a bag, box, or bucket and leaving it in your trunk.

“It can be as simple as having an old laundry basket with a few key items,” said Tsai. 

Tsai says these items include things like jumper cables, a small shovel, a candle in a container for warmth, extra warm clothes and blankets, and extra food and water.

“And most importantly keep your cell phone well charged, have an extra battery pack if you can, think about having a flashlight in your car, and make sure that when you go out you have these items so if you are ever stuck somewhere you have the means to keep yourself warm and keep yourself safe,” he said.

On top of what's in the trunk, drivers are also reminded on bad weather days to make sure you gas-up before you set off to wherever you're going so you have a full tank in case you get stuck and need to stay warm.

“If you are stuck and certainly in the winter time you want to stay warm, we really recommend you don't leave your car running on idle all the time,” Tsai said, instead suggesting drivers cycle power for 10-15 minutes on and 30 minutes off. “It not only saves on gas but also helps prevent the likelihood of carbon monoxide build-up.”

“That's also a really big danger, especially in the winter time.”