What You Should Know Before Your Next Winter Road Trip

"Make preparations in advance. You never have trouble if you are prepared for it." Theodore Roosevelt

Can You Survive Out in the Cold?

Wintertime is here. And with that comes the most wonderful time of the year: Christmas, New Year, Valentine's Day. No wonder so many Americans use the season for winter road trips with family and friends.

If you're here, I'm going to guess you're planning one too, or at least about to be involved in one.

I hate to spoil the party, but it's not all snowy wonderland. If you're not careful, that white road can get bloody ugly (literally).

Here's what our friends at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have to say:

"Each year, 24 percent of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy, or icy pavement and 15 percent happen during snowfall or sleet. Over 1,300 people are killed and more than 116,800 people are injured in vehicle crashes on snowy, slushy, or icy pavement annually. Every year, nearly 900 people are killed and nearly 76,000 people are injured in vehicle crashes during snowfall or sleet." Federal Highway Administration

Depending on your geography, that may or may not sound alarming. But more than 70% of the nation's roads are in snowy regions. Almost all Americans are threatened by Jack Frost.

During your winter road trip you'll be exposed to a stack of threats: low visibility, avalanches, mechanical failure, other drivers making bad decisions. The list keeps going.

That's why proper knowledge and a winter survival kit in your car aren't optional. And that's what you'll get here: what to prepare for the trip, and how to survive if things break.

Grab a coffee.

Preparation Is the Key to Winter Road Trip Safety

You don't rise to the occasion. You fall to your level of preparation.

Let that sink in.

Before you even head out, you should be prepared mentally, physically, and clothing-wise (flip-flops are for summer). Beyond that, learn how to drive in winter conditions. The Fate of the Furious is fiction.

1. Stay updated with the news and weather forecast

Prevention beats cure. Take advantage of that billion-dollar satellite network you've been funding with your taxes. Know if a blizzard is coming. Know if sunlight is strong enough to cause an avalanche or flooding. Know the roadblocks.

Know what you need to know before you leave the driveway.

2. Look ahead on your itinerary

Hitting the icy road without knowing what lies ahead is a recipe for disaster. Map the route you're actually going to take from point A to point B.

Have you identified alternative routes in case of congestion or closure? Where are the auto shops along the way? What retreat or camping grounds could you spend the night at if it comes to that?

Think through the questions and you won't get caught unprepared.

3. Winterize your car

Winter driving is challenging because so many variables are outside your control: snow volume, road grip, wind, the driver next to you. It gets worse when your car itself isn't ready for it.

a. Check your tires

Whether it's a limited-edition Ferrari or a well-loved Mitsubishi, only one thing connects the car to the road: tires.

Make sure every tire has plenty of tread left. If it doesn't, install new ones. Better yet, install winter tires, which are engineered specifically for winter conditions. They give better traction, hold up better in the cold, and outperform all-season tires on winter terrain.

b. Maintain optimal tire pressure

Temperature drops significantly affect tire pressure (measured in PSI, or pounds per square inch). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation recommend checking the pressure of all tires, including the spare, on a regular basis.

If you're not sure what the correct pressure is, check your owner's manual or the tire placard inside the driver's-side doorjamb.

c. Inspect the battery

In cold conditions, engines are harder to start. A weak battery is the fastest way to find yourself stranded in a blizzard. Have your battery load-tested by a shop before the trip.

d. Keep your fuel above half a tank (or your Tesla charged)

Fuel is your car's food. Your car hates fasting, and half a tank is your buffer against a longer detour than you planned.

e. Switch to thinner oil

Cold weather thickens oil, which puts more strain on the battery and the engine. Thinner oil flows more easily at low temperatures. Check your owner's manual for the winter viscosity recommendation.

f. Add coolant or antifreeze

Extreme temperature is an engine's kryptonite. Coolant keeps the engine's temperature in check in both scorching summer and dead winter. According to the Automotive Training Center, the recommended winter mix is typically 60% antifreeze to 40% water.

g. Install winter wipers and keep washer fluid full

Winter wipers prevent ice from collecting on the blades. Use washer fluid rated to not freeze in your climate.

h. Get your car serviced for winter conditions

If mechanical maintenance isn't your thing (or all of the above just feels like a lot), let a shop do a pre-trip check. They'll cover the basics above and catch anything else.

What Goes in Your Winter Road Trip Survival Kit

The old survivalist line: better prepared than sorry.

It is much better to have the survival essentials and not need them than to need them and not have them. When you're stuck in the middle of a whiteout, what's in your car is all you have.

1. Car repair and maintenance tools

Hand tools (wrenches, screwdrivers), jumper cables, windshield cleaner, mechanic gloves, a multi-tool, duct or electrical tape, and so on.

Worth knowing: a study by The Zebra found that the ice scraper was named the single most important winter car-kit item by roughly a third of respondents. Do not underestimate the boring tools. They're the ones that get you out.

2. Means to clear the path and get out

Don't be the person who sits helplessly in a stuck car for hours. The longer you wait, the more you're exposed to vehicle crimes and frostbite.

• Snow shovel
• Traction aid: sand, salt, chains, or non-clumping cat litter
• Tow rope or cable
• Hatchet or folding saw
• Emergency fuel (non-freezing version)

3. Escape and signaling tools

• Glass breaker with seatbelt cutter
• Whistle
• Road flares or glow sticks
• Signaling mirror
• Flashlight

4. First aid kit (customized to your personal needs and skills)

• Gauze and bandages
• Medical tape
• Tourniquet
• Disinfectants (alcohol, bleach) and wipes
• Antiseptic cream and wound solution (Betadine, beeswax)
• Eyewash
• Trauma shears and tweezers
• Surgical gloves
• Medications for pain, flu, allergies, and any personal conditions

5. Means to stay warm

• Extra thick clothing and blankets (wool preferred)
• Emergency heat sheets
• Hand warmers
• Candle and fire starters (lighter, matches, fire striker) plus tinder

6. Food and water

Do not rule out having to take refuge in your car for a day or more.

• Food high in protein, carbohydrates, and nutrients
• Cooking set and utensils (portable stove, metal containers, spork)
• Water (1 gallon per person per day)
• Water filter or purification tablets

How to Survive When Your Car Breaks Down on a Winter Road Trip

Machines fail. Roads congest. Mountains put on avalanche shows. These are more probable than most people think.

If you're trapped in a snowstorm, here are the priorities:

1. Stay calm and gather your thoughts

Panic wrecks judgment. It leads to rushed, irrational decisions, and those decisions can cost lives.

2. Call for help

Obvious, but easy to skip in the moment. Unless you want to test the limits of the human spirit.

3. Stay with your car

Do not venture out into the unknown. Two reasons: your car is bigger than you and rescuers spot it much faster, and your car is your best shelter against the elements.

4. Keep your car visible

Turn on the hazard lights. Set out road flares or glow sticks nearby to alert other motorists and rescuers.

5. Stay dry and avoid sweating a lot

Do not overexert yourself. Sweat freezes, and if it stays on your skin, hypothermia sets in. Once that starts, your window shrinks fast.

6. Stay warm and hydrated

After calling for help and keeping the car visible, focus on not freezing.

• Use extra clothing and dress in layers.
• Do stretching and light movement to keep circulation up.
• Light a candle or portable stove inside the car (crack a window for ventilation).
• While the stove is going, melt snow for extra water.
• If it's not snowing or windy, build a fire outside. Warmth plus smoke as a signal.
• Alcohol will not warm you. It dehydrates you and impairs judgment. In a survival situation, you booze, you lose.

No Winter Too Cold for Cold-Blooded Thieves

You spent time and money putting together a real survival kit. You don't want it, plus your firearms and other valuables, to walk off with someone who breaks a window at a rest stop.

Car doors get shimmed. Windows get smashed. You're not driving a battle tank.

A quality portable vehicle safe, though, gives a thief nothing to work with in the seconds they have before someone walks by. And if you're traveling with kids, a locked safe also prevents accidental access to your firearms.

Three that we'd stake a trip on:

Winter Road Trip: Here We Come

You know what's more terrifying than a White Walker? Mr. Black Ice. The White Walker might haunt you. Black ice can kill you, literally and instantly.

But if you're prepared, it doesn't really matter. Whether it's someone trying to grab your gear or nature just doing nature things, you're ready to come out the other side.

Winter road trips are as rewarding as they are dangerous. With family and friends, they're some of the best memories you'll build. Keep it that way: put the checklist above into practice and you'll get to the snowy wonderland in one piece.

Now go build a bigger snowman than last time.

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