Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
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As the cold weather sets in, the CAA Saskatchewan would like to remind people to make sure their vehicle batteries are in good shape.
“Your battery is your lifeline for the vehicle. Extreme weather will really weaken your battery, so you do need to check it often and have it charged if necessary,” said Angel Blair, manager of communications.
“For advice on battery care, we do have a CAA Battery Depot, but it’s a good idea to always maintain the health of your battery.”
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Steven Millar, supervisor of CAA Battery Depot, also stressed the importance of plugging vehicles in and not allowing vehicle batteries to go unused for long stretches of time.
“It’s easier for the vehicle to turn over with a warm engine than it is a block of frozen oil because it’s been sitting all night in the freezing cold,” Millar said.
Millar said battery maintainers are a good idea for people who don’t drive a lot during the winter.
“Another good idea is to have a battery blanket or maybe give that battery a good charge with a battery charger every few months or so. That just keeps it cycled properly and gives you fewer issues when it comes down to the winter time blues,” he said.
Millar added that it was also important to take care of basic maintenance work, like ensuring battery connections are tight, clean and free of corrosion.
He also said that relatively short car trips can compromise a battery since they don’t give enough time for the alternator to put the charge back into it. For this reason, he recommended people to take the long way the next time they have to leave the house.
Blair counselled drivers to start their cars for at least 10 minutes every few hours if they don’t have the means to plug them in.
Should people find themselves stuck in a ditch or have their vehicles stop working while driving, Blair said they should remain in their car as it acts as a temporary shelter from the cold while they call for help.
“It’s a really good idea to have an emergency kit on hand. That means you’ll have some extra winter gear, mitts, tuques, footwear, everything you need to kind of be out in those elements for a little bit longer,” Blair said.
“In your roadside safety kit, you should also have a phone charger. Maybe some non-perishable food, water, and a shovel. Make sure you have an ice scraper, a snow brush, and booster cables. All those things will really come in handy if you happen to get stuck.”
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