Tips for winter safety | fox61.com

HARTFORD, Conn. — With winter season weather comes freezing cold temperatures, ice, and snow. Wednesday, Connecticut citizens located them selves making an attempt to navigate icy streets while those touring in Virginia before in the 7 days were trapped on frozen roadways.

So what can you do to stay safe? 

We have taken the suggestions from the American Purple Cross, AAA, and Porter and Chester and merged them listed here.

• Battery and Charging System: Look at your battery and charging process. It is greatest to have a thoroughly billed battery in superior ailment for chilly climate.  A car or truck battery will final 3 to 5 many years, but your driving routines can improve or lower the lifespan. Make contact with a educated experienced to check the battery.
• Tires: Examining and change tires if they are not appropriate for winter.  That also contains producing sure the tires you have are created for winter season driving.
• Tire Pressure: Cold temperatures can effect tire strain. The recommended tire pressure for your auto can be identified in the entrepreneurs handbook or on a sticker on the doorway jamb. When temperatures fall, so will tire pressures – generally by just one PSI for just about every 10 degrees.
• Fuel: Maintain your vehicle’s fuel tank entire so you can leave proper away in an emergency and to retain the gas line from freezing.
• Examine Antifreeze: You can get a exam for the antifreeze security degree with an reasonably priced tester available at any vehicle areas keep. Normally check the coolant amount in the overflow tank when the engine is chilly. If the level is lower, you ought to incorporate a 50/50 answer of coolant and h2o to preserve the necessary antifreeze functionality.
• Washer Fluid: Constantly fill the windshield washer fluid reservoir with a winter cleansing solution that has antifreeze elements to avert it from freezin and buying new wipers may be needed. 
• Roadside Assistance: AAA associates can contact for a roadside rescue at 1-800-AAA-Help.  Check the expiration day on your AAA card to ensure your membership is legitimate.
• Brakes: Checking signs of have on on brake pads and rotors and all-wheel-travel functions. Also windshield wiper fluid need to be replenished 
• Unexpected emergency Kit: Assemble an unexpected emergency preparedness kit: Pack a winter-specific supply kit that includes a heat coat, hat, mittens or gloves, and h2o-resistant boots, together with excess blankets and more heat outfits for each household member. Sand or non-clumping cat litter is great to have on hand to aid make walkways or measures significantly less slippery. Furthermore, make certain you have a to start with assist package and a source of necessary remedies, canned food and can opener, bottled water, flashlights and a battery-run radio with additional batteries in your residence in the event of a electric power outage.
• Travellers: Make sure everyone has their seat belts on and give your total focus to the highway.
• Distance: Do not observe other cars also closely. Sudden stops are challenging on snowy roadways. Really do not use cruise regulate when driving in winter season climate.
• Plows: Don’t move snow plows. Give them house to steer clear of staying pelted by salt
• Freeze Alert: Ramps, bridges and overpasses freeze right before roadways.
• If you become stranded:
  • Remain in the car and hold out for help. Do not depart the automobile to research for support until aid is obvious in 100 yards (91 meters). You can rapidly grow to be disoriented and perplexed in blowing snow.
  • Display screen a problems sign to point out you want aid. Hang a brightly coloured cloth (preferably crimson) on the radio antenna and raise the hood following snow stops falling.
  • Operate the engine once in a while to maintain warm. Switch on the engine for about 10 minutes each hour (or five minutes each and every 50 {e3fa8c93bbc40c5a69d9feca38dfe7b99f2900dad9038a568cd0f4101441c3f9} hour). Functioning the motor for only brief intervals decreases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and conserves gas. Use the heater while the engine is functioning. Preserve the exhaust pipe crystal clear of snow, and slightly open up a downwind window for ventilation.
  • Depart the overhead mild on when the motor is jogging so that you can be witnessed.

Similar: Weather View: Accumulating snow likely for Friday early morning commute

Check Storm closings right here

• Pipes: Turn water off to outdoors taps to minimize chances for freezing
• Home windows: Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills to retain cold air out. Put in storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside of to deliver an further layer of insulation to continue to keep cold air out.
• Warmth: Make absolutely sure you have ample heating gas on hand. Preserve gasoline. Winter storms can past for quite a few days, inserting great desire on electrical, gas, and other fuel distribution devices (gasoline oil, propane, etcetera.).
• Remain indoors: Wear heat garments. Levels of free-fitting, light-weight, warm clothing will continue to keep you hotter than a cumbersome sweater. If you really feel much too warm, get rid of levels to keep away from sweating if you experience chilled, include levels.
• Welfare of other people: Verify on relations, neighbors and pals, significantly if they are aged or if they are living on your own.

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Related: Virginia Senator lauds CT family’s generosity even though caught on freeway for the duration of snowstorm

• Clothes: Wear layered clothes, mittens or gloves, and a hat. Outer clothes really should be tightly woven and h2o repellent. Mittens or gloves and a hat will avoid the decline of body heat.
• Breathing: Address your mouth to defend your lungs from severely chilly air. Stay clear of taking deep breaths limit chatting.
• Check out for signs of hypothermia and frostbite.
• Keep dry: Alter wet apparel routinely to stop a decline of entire body warmth. Damp clothing loses a lot of its insulating worth and transmits warmth rapidly absent from the human body.
• Keep loose: Stretch right before you go out. If you go out to shovel snow, do a few stretching workouts to warm up your physique. This will cut down your likelihood of muscle mass harm.
• Just take it easy: Stay clear of overexertion, these types of as shoveling major snow, pushing a motor vehicle, or walking in deep snow. The strain from the cold and the tough labor could trigger a heart attack. Perspiring could guide to a chill and hypothermia.
• Strolling: Stroll carefully on snowy, icy sidewalks. Slips and falls manifest frequently in winter season climate, ensuing in unpleasant and in some cases disabling accidents.
• Driving: If you will have to go out all through a wintertime storm, use community transportation if possible. About 70 p.c of winter season fatalities linked to ice and snow happen in vehicles.

Doug Stewart is a electronic written content producer at FOX61 Information. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.

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