Preparing the inside of your car for winter driving

What is it?

There's a list of things to be done to your car when prepping for the winter. snow tires, anti-freeze service, lighter weight oil, winter wipers...the list isn't too long and not always applicable to every vehicle. Some of you may be living in areas where winter is what we in New England call "fall". I want to speak instead about the things we can take with us as we drive during the colder months in the event something goes awry.

Why do it?

Being stuck somewhere with a flat tire, a dead battery, or worse is never fun. During the colder months, it can be downright dangerous! A little bit of money, some pre-planning, and you'll be a lot happier. Years ago (OK, decades ago) while we lived in Ohio, my father got stuck on the way home in a massive snow storm. It took him over 6 hours to do a 30 minute commute. Fortunately, he had a full tank of gas and had taken some precautions, many of which I think get ignored by the modern traveler. We expect gas stations on every corner to be open 24 hours, roads to be plowed minutes after the first flake is spotted, and AAA to have response times better than Dominoes pizza. Hopefully, all 3 are always true, but reality is a cruel mistress.

How did I learn it?

I know I keep saying it, but Boy Scouts had a big impact on my urge to be ready for whatever can happen. "Be Prepared" is a motto that tends to stick with you. There have been times in my life where I've forgotten to follow that motto and I've always regretted it. With my first car, a few things always got carried. Now, I'm more prepared than ever, probably over-prepared, but it provides a level of comfort I feel is worth the loss of cargo space. I'm continually looking at how I can better refine my needs.

How do you learn it?

I'll give you some of the key things I carry and why. Hopefully others will weigh in with their thoughts.

To prepare we have to think about what can happen and look at the likelihood and duration of the problem. These will give us areas to tackle. Most will be mechanical, some environmental, and maybe a few catastrophic. We'll begin with a list of everything I carry with me, then we'll talk about why I do it. I'll skip those items that are standard on most cars (spare tire, jack, etc), though I will mention them in some of the areas below.

Motor club membership (I have AMA, many use AAA)
Jumper cables
Flares
Tire repair kit
Wagan PowerDome
5 Gallons of gas (whenever traveling more than 50 miles)
basic tool set (metric, as that is what my truck uses)
windshield washer fluid
pre-mix anti-freeze (50/50)*
flashlights (2)
multi-tool
"escape" or rescue tool
shovel*
sand*
atlas
GPS
ice scraper (2)*
hatchet and small saw
first aid kit
hat and gloves
spare sweatshirt
wool blanket*
winter boots*
rain poncho (2)
cell phone
Nalgene water bottle
trash bags
candle lantern
lighter (2)

Aside from those marked with the *, these items remain in my truck all year long. I actually carry a lot more than this, but these I consider the bare minimum. Many of them reside in a single backpack that can be easily moved around the vehicle, or taken with me into another car, etc. My wife has a very similar setup in her car. It takes up surprisingly little room when all put together, and much can fit into the existing small spaces in your vehicle (glovebox, wheel well, etc).

So, why all this stuff?

Mechanical issues - the things most likely to happen are problems with your car. They can happen anytime, but a few are more likely in the winter. As I mentioned above, prepping your vehicle for winter is a REALLY good idea. Part of the benefit of this is it makes you look at some of the critical areas of your car and make certain it can handle the season. A good tune-up will also help in this. If your mechanic can catch a problem before it happens all the better! Changing tires for snow tires means someone will have seen the tires before you drive on them.
Of course, things still go wrong. A dead battery or flat seems most likely. A flat tire can be dealt with by having a spare in good repair and a decent jack. The battery is a little tougher. In an area with other vehicles, you can likely get a jump, but only if you have jumper cables. What if no one is around? This is why I like the Wagan PowerDome, since it is a stand alone unit. Additionally, it includes a radio and an air compressor, both very useful tools. Finally, the inverter means you can charge cell phones or other devices if your car is dead.
I like having tools so I can deal with stuck hoses, air filters, etc. Even if you don't know a lot about car maintenance, someone may stop to help and not have tools themselves. Having a flashlight or 2 (since one could go dead) to light your way, flares to let others know you have a problem, and extra fluids in case you overheat is further insurance.
If you don't have AAA or an equivalent (I use AMA as I'm a motorcyclist, but the coverage is very similar), get it. It is really worth the annual fee to have a safety net when you need it.

Environmental issues - snow, ice, sleet, freezing rain...none of these are pleasant while driving, but are a reality for many of us. They come with other possibilities like getting stuck, frosted windshields, and slick driving conditions. A shovel for getting snow out from around your tires is invaluable as even a well plowed parking lot may leave your car blocked in a snow bank. Scrapers are great, though often break, so I carry 2. Since I drive a pickup, I carry sand in the bed of the truck, and some of that can be shoveled out to aid in traction on icy spots. And don't forget that trees weighed down by heavy snow and ice can break and block your way, especially on rural routes. A saw or hatchet can make quick work of these obstacles, not to mention warming you up a bit for your efforts.

Catastrophic issues
What if any of the above happens in the middle of nowhere? Or if there's a massive weather emergency that has all the emergency services, including AAA, tied up for hours? Worse yet, what if you have an accident, either alone or another vehicle? These are all things we hope never happen, but we're better off if we prepare.
Certainly you can't expect to fix everything that might happen in such circumstances. This is why I list a cell phone as invaluable. Calling for help is critical, just make sure it's charged and ready to go! A cheap, pre-paid phone that is left in the car isn't a bad idea, either.
If you're stuck in your car (or out of it) when it's cold, extra clothing may be the difference between life and death. I leave gloves, a hat, and boots in the car in case I'm even stuck wearing dress clothes when something goes wrong. Leather-soled dress shoes won't serve me well and may plant me on my butt! If I need to sit in the car for any period of time, a wool blanket helps a lot, and a long-lasting candle lantern will provide light and even some small amount of warmth with little risk of fire.
When you're out of the car and it's raining, a poncho is great and also keeps some heat in. Trash bags can be placed on snow to keep your clothing dry, used to cover broken windows, or as a way to keep either wet things contained or dry things dry.
In the event you need to get out of a vehicle in an accident, I like having a rescue tool within reach to cut the seatbelt and/or break out a window. Cheap money for a little more piece of mind. A basic first aid kit can deal with some of the after effects if you find yourself in an accident.
Finally, I like to have water on hand as you can't go very long without it. During the winter, water goes in and out of the car with me, lest it freeze. It's fine when you run into a store for an hour or 2, but longer than that and it comes with me. I do also carry a steel cup that I could use to melt snow with my candle lantern, but that may be more extreme for some of you. :)

What else can you tell me that may not be common knowledge?

Various stats show that you're likely to be in an accident every 6 years, with an average of 6 million happening a year. Most of those will be minor, but in the winter even a minor setback can be difficult. Personally, I like to be ready whenever possible and work to reduce risk where I can. Little things like proper maintenance and refilling your tank before you're on 'E' help. Why not take a few more steps to get safely to your destination, even if it takes longer than you expected?

One final word of caution to everyone who thinks 4-wheel drive means you won't get stuck. If you hit ice, it doesn't matter how many wheels have power, they all start spinning. Take some time to practice with it and realize it doesn't mean you should drive faster than everyone else!