Traveling in the winter on other routes can have it’s negative consequences
in the event of a car accident or in the event of a vehicle breakdown.
What winter equipment should you have with you when traveling in this
cold period see below.
Dangers that can be life-threatening during vehicle failure in winter
In the event of a major car accident or breakdown in the abyss, the engine of the vehicle is non-functional and we no longer have a heat source in the car. It also implies that the movement of the car was suspended.
The main danger in the event of a vehicle breakdown when traveling long distances during winter it is hypothermia . Hypothermia is cooling
of the human body below 35 ° C (95F) caused by external influences of very low air temperature environment.
Symptoms progress from tremors and irritability, sometimes hallucinations,
to confusion, to whom and at the end of death. In the United States, primary, hypothermia is the cause of about 600 deaths per year.
Addition to that are hunger and thirst that can be great dangers and cause death in situations like this.
How to protect yourself
Automotive winter equipment can be divided according to the purpose of the equipment it provides the following:
- heat (heating) – because the car engine is defective
- food and water – (because we don’t know how long we will be kept in that place away from everything)
- tools – needed for making shelters, repairing minor breakdowns and the like
Car winter equipment
In addition to the mandatory car equipment that includes first aid, light vests, the necessary tools, the necessary winter equipment in each car should include the following:
- bottled water
- additional battery for charging mobile phones (powerbank)
- external car battery charger
- snacks, foods rich in calories
- hand warmers (towels)
- additional winter clothes (hats, winter boots, gloves, spacesuits, sweaters)
- a blanket or sleeping bag
- multifunctional tool set
- folding shovel
- flashlight
- candles (which can be used to warm the car)
- something that can ignite a fire (lighter, matches)
What to do when you get into a car breakdown situation, or an accident in a remote location
You need to call for help by mobile phone: police, ambulance, firefighters.
Stay at the scene of the accident because they will find you there most easily – provided that the accident site is secured (no landslides, or danger of avalanches nearby, etc.)
Get out of the car and take out all the necessities and equipment if you smell fuel. Stay calm, collected, and provide all the steps as soon as possible, in order to stay heated, hydrated, and satiated. Keep food supplies and do not eat excessively in case that the search for you continues for a long time.
