Driving in winter weather isn’t for the faint of heart. Roads can be tougher to navigate, daylight hours are shorter, visibility is decreased, and sub-freezing temps are rough on your vehicle. It’s common enough for motorists to find themselves stranded on the road in the midst of a blizzard (hopefully only briefly), and drivers are also more likely to get into an accident.     Don’t get left out in the literal cold by forgetting to bolster your year-long emergency kit with these extra winter essentials: 

You don’t want to play that game where you see just how close to ‘Empty’ you can get before pulling into a gas station to fuel up. With winter offering more hazardous roadside conditions than other seasons, particularly in cold weather states like Wisconsin and across the Midwest — be sure to never let your tank plummet too low.  

Check your fuel level as you pull out of the driveway and sporadically throughout your ride and fill up when you get to half empty (or half full, however you prefer to view it).

Icy weather reduces tire traction, something you’ll clearly need to help pull yourself out of snowbanks or slick patches of ice on the road. To get your car unstuck, sprinkle non-clumping kitty litter, road salt, or even sand around your wheels (pour some in the paths of your tires as well).   Just be careful that the bag doesn’t open up in your trunk; it’ll be less than ‘purr-fect' to vacuum that up.

In a bad whiteout, you may want (or need) a shovel to help dig yourself out. You’ll also want to be sure that your car’s visible for rescue crews to see it — and so another driver doesn’t accidentally plow into you.    

Collapsible, durable shovels are inexpensive and take up much less trunk space

You won’t want to clear off your windshield with the shovel — so always have an ice scraper and snow brush on hand to do the job. Running your defrosters will just drain your battery.

These should always be on hand all year long. But since car battery problems tend to increase as the weather gets cold, this is a good reminder to have a set in reach should you ever need a jump start.

Check out even more winter blogs to stay winter ready, like:

• Car Thefts Spike in Winter: Don’t Leave Your Car to Warm Up Unattended

• Winter Rx: Cold Weather Survival Guide for Drivers

• Do's and Don'ts of How to De-Ice Your Windshield

All year long, empowered drivers are safer drivers, more thoughtful drivers, and more engaged drivers. Check out more of our safety tips such as:

• Your Car Emergency Kit, Explained 

• 9 Surprising Hacks to Save Money at the Gas Station

• 5 Ways to Avoid Distracted Driving

What are you waiting for? Join the ride and get a quote today and see how techno-driven coverage can lower your premiums.