Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list inclu...
If you’re planning to hit the road, CAA wants you to keep a few things in mind with this cold weather.
Christine Niemczyck advises drivers to make sure their vehicle battery is charged and to plug in the block heater once the temperature drops to -15 C.
“Check the cord, make sure it’s not frayed,” said Niemczyck.
She recommends keeping a full tank of gas, checking the vehicle’s brakes and having winter tires.
“The rubber compound in the winter tires does allow for better traction and better grip and better control as well,” Niemczyck said.
‘See and be seen’
Once the car’s ready to go, Niemczyck urges drivers to properly defrost their windows and to turn on their lights in harsh weather.
“See and be seen, don’t be a phantom vehicle. We know vehicles driven in the dark with no lights are known as phantom vehicles. Some drivers think the lit up dashboard means the vehicle lights are on, which may not be true,” she said.
“Just because it’s on auto, you may have to turn the lights on because you may be able to just have the headlights on, but the tail lights may not be on.”
Emergencies
Niemczyck also recommends keeping an emergency kit that includes things like warm clothes, non-perishable food, water, shovel, snow scraper, booster cables and a cell phone.
Check weather and road conditions before heading out, and stick to major roads.
“Those are the roads that are going to be more frequently maintained. Stick to the main arteries, the main highways, the main roads,” she said.
“Do let others know where you’re going, where you’re coming from, especially if it’s a long road trip. The times that you’re driving, when you plan to be there.”
Should you get stranded, stay inside.
“We have heard from experts out there, especially those with search and rescue teams, to stay with your vehicle. It does allow for temporary shelter,” Niemczyck said.
“Know where you are; so identify the highways, the road, be as specific as possible so when you call for help, it will be a lot easier to find you.”
