Living in Oakville, we experience some pretty awful winters. The winter of 2018 is expected to be somewhat wild in the GTA, ranging from pretty mild to downright freezing. All this tells us is that we have to be extremely prepared for any kind of weather that Mother Nature decides to throw at us. This is especially true when it comes to what you carry around in your vehicle this winter. We mentioned in the “Getting Your Car Ready For Winter” article that you should carry a Winter Survival Kit with you, but what exactly should we be carrying? Here are a few things that you should make sure you have in your vehicle to help you get through these long winter months.

A Blanket

Quite possibly the most important thing on the list, this could save your life. If for some reason you’re stuck on the side of the road with no heat, having a blanket for warmth could be extremely important.

LED Flashers and Flares

If you’re caught at the side of the QEW at night or in the middle of a blizzard, you want to make sure you are seen by other motorists on the road. LED lights will work for hours and are bright enough for other drivers to see at any time. While flares may seem old-fashioned, they’re perfect for the snow as the heat from the flare won’t allow any snow buildup that may prevent drivers from seeing them. They’re great for flagging down other vehicles or any wandering T-Rex on the road.

Food and Drink

Hopefully, you aren’t stranded for more than a day, but if you are you’ll be happy to have a supply of energy bars and energy drinks. While energy drinks or sports drinks may not seem like the best options, because of the amount of sugar and electrolytes in them, the freezing point is much lower meaning it will still be drinkable when you need it.

Snow Brush/Ice Scraper

If you don’t already have one of these sitting in your car, you must be new here. Unless you’re lucky enough to be able to keep your car in a garage all night, chances are you’ve gone outside on a winter morning to see your vehicle covered in a mess of snow. While it’s not the most fun part of winter, cleaning off your car is essential to safe winter driving since it allows you to see, which is kind of important.

Shovel

Having a small folding shovel in your vehicle could really help you out of a jam. You never know when you need to dig your car out of a pile of snow.

Kitty Litter/Sand

This is not to be used for an emergency toilet. Having sand or kitty litter is a really good way to gain some traction on ice. “Black Ice” gets its name because it’s almost impossible to see on the road, but throwing some sand or litter under your tires will give them some extra traction to get started.

Jumper Cables

Sometimes the cold of the winter will make it difficult for your battery to start up your car. Cold temperatures will slow the chemical reaction inside the battery making it difficult to generate enough current to start your vehicle. Carry jumper cables with you to make sure that if your battery does die, you can Frankenstein it and give it life again.

Service Your Vehicle

It’s always a good idea to bring your vehicle in for service before winter hits. A trained technician can tell you things like the condition of your battery and will flush out old fluids and replace them, so you don’t need to worry about doing any of that in a blizzard. You can bring your vehicle to the Weins Pre-Owned Centre’s service centre, and we’ll make sure you’re winter ready.

Conclusion

Driving in the winter is pretty awful and can be extremely dangerous if you aren’t properly prepared. Keeping these essentials in your vehicle will help you stay safe and warm in case of emergency. These items are also extremely easy to find, as the majority of them can be found somewhere like Oakville Place. Stay safe this winter.