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If you live in the northern part of the United States or all of Canada, you know that winter driving can sometimes be a dangerous experience. Most of the time, the roads are cleared off and everything is fine, but if you find yourself traveling through the middle of a nasty winter snowstorm, you could be in for trouble. The weather might get too bad and you might have to pull over and wait on the side of the road or worse yet you might slide on some ice and find yourself in a ditch and be in a world of trouble. You might be in a ditch off a road somewhere with a car that’s not running, no heat to speak of, and no one knows where you are. This can be a life threatening situation if you’re not prepared. Here’s what you should keep in your car to keep you safe during the winter.

The first thing you’ll want to be able to do is keep warm. Bring a warm sleeping bag or perhaps a blanket that reflects heat, a winter coat, gloves and a stocking cap so that you can stay warm if you’re caught out in the elements. You’ll also want to make sure your car is full of gasoline so that you can keep the engine and thus your heater going as long as possible if you find yourself stranded. You might consider bringing some candles with for warm if your heater goes out.

You’ll also want to be able to dig yourself out of a ditch if you get stuck, so keep a shovel in the trunk. The American Red Cross recommends that you also keep a bag of kitty litter to provide your vehicle some extra traction in the slippery snow.

If you’re stranded, you’ll need to be able to notify others that you are in peril. If you have a cell-phone, bring it with you. Even if you don’t have a cell-phone plan, it might be a good idea to buy a used cell-phone on eBay and then not purchase a plan for it. Even if you don’t have a cell-phone plan, you can still use any cell-phone to make 911 calls. You’ll also want to bring a whistle or flares to let emergency responders know that you are near if you see one of their vehicles near you. After a significant amount of snow, sometimes it can be very difficult to find those who are in peril.

You don’t know how long you’ll be stranded, so you’ll want to keep some food along with you for sustenance and to keep your strength up. Bring a coffee-can (and a candle) to melt snow with for drinking water.

Most of the time you’ll have no trouble driving during the winter, but every now and then you’ll find yourself in the middle of a snow storm. If you get stuck in the ditch, make sure you’re prepared.