Tips to keep you safe when winter weather hits

(ABC 6 News) – If you ever find yourself stuck out in the snow, just make sure to have a survival kit ready to go.

A blanket and an extra set of gloves and a hat are important for days where there is a lot of snowfall. As wet clothing cools off the body and speeds up the process towards hypothermia. Keeping a blanket in your car is also ideal.

My favorite tool is a battery jumper cable set. Hook it up to your battery, give it about 5-10 minutes depending on the temperature and the battery (sometimes it can be more than that though) and your car should be good to go. They can be found online for $100-$150; just make sure they are charged before hand. On the topic of chargers, keep some sort of way to keep your phone charged also.

Non-perishable food, such as granola bars or beef jerky, as well as water are also essential. Topping off your fuel before the snow or extreme cold arrives also helps if you find yourself stranded.

While getting stuck in a ditch or not being able to start your car are scenarios that can cause problems, those are not the only situations where you may find yourself stranded.

Mike Dougherty from MnDOT has another situation where you may want to rely on these tools. “If it’s a jackknife semi, you know that can be 3-4 hours. If you’re sitting there idle, you want to make sure not to run out of gas.”

To decrease the risk of finding yourself in these situations, make sure to check your states local map, whether the MnDOT 511 or Iowa Dot 511 for any accidents, construction, or to find out the conditions of any major roads you are planning to travel on. Dougherty explains there are also traffic cams that can help too. “Traffic cams are used to help locate emergency calls to help guide the authorities.”

Another great way to stay safe is to make sure to have a family member, a friend, or some sort of loved one who is aware of your location periodically that way in case something happens to you, someone is aware of your location.