On January 4th 2022 drivers were stranded for 27 hours on a stretch of I-95 from Fredericksburg, Virginia to Washington D.C. Things started with a stalled tractor trailer. The bitter cold and remnants of a snow storm at the end of December created more accidents and a complete closure of the highway, stranding thousands.
The daytime temperature was in the mid-40s and as the sun went down the temperatures dropped to below 30 degrees. Most people were completely unprepared for this type of scenario.
“Though it was much grimmer,” he said, “with people crying, smoking, walking their kids [and] pets, and begging for supplies.”
“Cars are stuck, trees are down, there are miles of parked cars scattered unevenly around the massive ice heaps to avoid getting stuck-stuck, making it impossible for any real emergency effort to reach us,” he said in Twitter messages as his sibling and her partner slept.
I-95 closure in Virginia ends after nearly 30 hours of driver despair
The thing about most emergencies is that we don’t get a heads up. Instead, they come when we are not expecting them or are less than prepared. Such was the case on January 4th in Virginia. It can seem silly to outfit your vehicle for the rare winter breakdown, that is, till you are stuck in a traffic jam while enduring below freezing temperatures overnight.
The cold is deadly, make no mistake about it. However, if you prepare your car effectively, you will be able to comfortably survive a long time in a breakdown or unexpected traffic jam.
Winter Vehicle Prep Essentials
Creating a vehicle prep kit is easier than you think. In fact, most things you need are probably already in your home and not even in use!
Blankets
If your home is anything like mine, you have blankets. We have blankets in chests, blankets in closets, draped on couches and chairs. We have all kinds of blankets. It is no sweat to fold up a couple thick blankets and place them at the bottom of a Rubbermaid container to start your winter emergency car kit.
Winter Accessory Extras
Another thing most families have is a surplus of winter hats, gloves, scarves, even warm sweaters. To donate some pairs of gloves, hats, and such to that same container would give you a great base.
Extra coats and even fleece underlayers can go a long way in that container, too.
Sterno, Candle, Jet Boil
Candles from your home stash or sternos from the garage can go a long way in providing a heat source in a cold car. While you might not look at a candle as a heat source, the flame can warm your hands, and it will affect the overall temperature of the car.
A camping jet boil gives you the ability to boil water so you can either make tea or even Mountain House meals. Warm liquids and warm meals make all the difference when you are getting cold.
Hand Warmers
Rechargeable hand warmers are an awesome addition to your car kit. If you throw a power bank in there, too, then you can have some extended use on the hand warmers. Don’t forget that handwarmers can be put in your shoes, too.
Car Jumper
This could be a bit of an investment, but they are getting smaller every year and cheaper. A quality car jumper might be part of your kit already. If it’s not, then it could be the difference between not being able to start your car in the cold or getting home safely in the winter.
I highly recommend one of these in your vehicle for any season.
Road Flares
It gets dark early in the winter. If you are just off the side of the road dealing with an emergency road flares make sense. Give drivers a heads up that you are there on the side of the road and that can go a long way. Road flares are affordable.
Sand or Cat Litter
Sometimes the difference between being stuck in the snow and getting back on the road can be sand or cat litter under the tires of your car. If you don’t have room for a full bag in your car then just fill four big Ziplocs, one for each tire, and store them in your container, too.
Self-Heating MRES (Optional)
This one is not for everyone, but it can make a big difference in the right situation. There are MRES or Meals Ready to Eat that are designed to heat themselves up. They have an included heating element. Which heats up the meal in minutes.
This can really change the game with morale if you have been broken down for a while and the cold is setting in.
Storing your Winter Vehicle Emergency Kit
If you have a larger car then you might not have to worry about this as much. The trunk of a sedan is a great option for storage. If you have a very small car then you can break the kit up into various storage areas of your vehicle.
Your blankets and accessories can go under seats. You can take the candle, sterno, or jet boil, along with the hand warmers and stick them in a center console or glove box. Get creative with where you put things, and I am sure you can find the space to include a kit like this in your vehicle.
Conclusion
Winter emergencies are dangerous. While you might think it rare to break down in the cold, car batteries fail in the cold all the time. You don’t have to be on a backroad somewhere to find yourself in an emergency either.
I am sure no one who merged onto I-95 on the day of the massive 27-hour long traffic jam would have never thought they would have any issues with the cold well into the night.
A few simple preps for winter emergencies can go a long way. Remember, you probably have more than half of the items on the list sitting on a shelf somewhere in your home. So, there is really no excuse to not get started.
