Closeup of car tires in winter on the road

Survival – Stranded in a Car During Winter

Wow, is it ever cold lately!! We logged a few days in Ontario of -36 Celsius, which is beyond chilly and deathly cold with less exposure. We also logged 55 cm of snow in a single day. That’s around 21.5 inches for our American friends, which is why it’s time to address survival when stranded in a car during winter.

This very snowstorm left people stuck on the 401 for 6 hours. The fallout of a recent storm in the US had people stranded on I-95 for 9 hours. We have all heard the stories of 50-car pile-ups or people getting stuck on the highway for days. 

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This very snowstorm left people stuck on the 401 for 6 hours. The fallout of a recent storm in the US had people stranded on I-95 for 9 hours. We have all heard the stories of 50-car pile-ups or people getting stuck on the highway for days. 

So, it begs the question: What is the best gear to carry for winter survival in your car? How do I survive or stay comfortable stranded in a car during winter?

I’ll keep my views out of this, but if you believe in climate change, then you will think things will only get worse. If you don’t believe in it, I can tell you with certainty these kinds of winter storms and blizzards have been around as far back as I can remember. It’s nothing new, nor can you ignore the dangers of wintry weather. 

So, here’s my other question: Why have you not prepared for winter weather a long time ago? If you live anywhere in the northern US or just about any part of Canada, the time to start is NOW!

Step 1 – Fuel

You don’t need me for this, and I promise it will get far more interesting, but fuel up more often in the winter! If you are like me and do a lot of driving in the winter, this may be more challenging as we are already at the pump every 2-3 days. 

I usually tank up when my gas tank is at a quarter tank. So, for example, I tank up in the winter when I’m between a quarter and a half. For winter driving, make an effort to drive with a little more gas than usual. Technically, a full tank of gas is advised.

PRO TIP

Keep at least a full 10-litre can on hand or a 20-litre if you drive a larger vehicle. We all have those days when we are low on fuel but are tired and want to go home. You wake up the next day to a snowstorm, and it’s not a good feeling being low on gas even though you’re headed to the pump. It’s also good practice to have extra gas at home just in case the power goes out (taking out the pumps with it).

Step 2 – Survival Gear You Should Always Have in Your Car in Winter

Here comes the fun part. You DON’T NEED a heater or an exhaustive list of items to survive the cold! Your first form of shelter is your clothing, and assuming you are dressed right for the day, you have your basics already covered. The most important thing you need is a sleeping bag rated for the cold.

Staying warm in a winter sleeping blanket, while drinking water
Wrapped in a sleeping blanket, drinking a warm drink while waiting for roadside assistance

Sleeping Bag

How to stay warm in a stranded car? Staying warm if stranded in your vehicle can be readily done with a sleeping bag.

In my car, I keep a US military surplus sleeping system. Here, you have two sleeping bags: a nylon-filled patrol sleeping bag rated for 30 to 50°F and a nylon-filled intermediate mummy bag rated 10 to 30°F. Use them separately or combined depending on the weather. I don’t remember exactly, but when one bag is tucked into the other, I believe it was good to -30 Celsius.

This sleeping system also comes with a Gore-tex bivy sac, which gets inserted into the sleeping bag. Now it’s waterproof, which allows you to sleep on top of the snow! While you have a much better environment in your car, you can begin to understand how serious this sleeping bag is.
Even in the car, the bivy is still an added layer, meaning some added warmth. The whole system is kept neatly within the provided kit compression stuff sac.

You’ll find many people who have slept in minus 30 in their car by choice with one of these or something of similar quality. It may not be pleasant waking up to such a cold environment, but a good and, more importantly, warm night’s sleep is possible. Not my cup of tea and probably not yours either – it just needs to be there for that one day when you’re stranded in a car during winter without a choice in the matter.

Let’s Go Back to Talking About a Heater

There are several different heaters out there. Bear in mind that heaters use a limited resource, meaning fuel. Unlike a sleeping bag, there is a finite amount of use you will get from these, which does not replace a blanket, rather it’s an added option. The big one out there is the Buddy from Mr. Heater.

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater (4,000-9,000 BTU)
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One of these can help make things more comfortable under the right circumstances. You’ll find these heaters are used mostly by anglers for ice fishing, hunting, etc. 

There are some downsides to using a heater, the big one being the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. You have to have ventilation when using one of these. If it’s not carbon monoxide, it’s also water you need to deal with. 

For each 1 lb of propane burned, 1.6 lbs of water is generated! It’s chemistry, which I won’t get into other than saying it’s a reaction of burning propane with air that breeds carbon dioxide and water. As you already know, being cold and wet is deadly

I’m not suggesting you should run out and buy a heater. Some cars are so tight that having it in there would scare me. It’s an option, especially for larger vehicles. You should know that it can increase comfort for the right person at the right time, under the right circumstances.

Fire Making Tools and a Candle

Always carry three sources of ignition in your winter emergency vehicle kit! It is the rule of thumb when it comes to fire. As usual, a Bic lighter, weatherproof matches and a Ferro rod. Add some long-burning emergency candles to the mix, and you are golden. You would be surprised how much heat you can get off a candle, especially in a confined space. At a bare minimum, you can warm up cold hands and feet.

Add a container for your candle, and you have seriously levelled up its usefulness. The UCO Candle Lantern has a flip-up hanger, which is handy and increases safety. Of course, your survival candle now doubles as a source of light.

Light Source

I use the Petzl Swift headlamp. You don’t need anything this fancy. All you need is a light source that does not rely on draining your car battery. You may also need light to accomplish tasks outside your vehicle.

If you ever have to narrow down to a single choice for a light source, I always like to make it a headlamp instead of a flashlight as it leaves your hands free. The Petzl Swift can run for 100 hours on low. For general lighting, hang it off your rearview mirror, which makes for a great lantern.

When you need more light, crank it up to 900 lumens. It’s brighter than most flashlights! I love Petzl’s dual purpose and choice of light levels.

Signalling Device

Let’s assume you are not stuck on a congested highway. Perhaps you’re broken down on a country road with zero cell service – you will want a signalling device

When stranded in a car, a white flag means distress, but with snowy weather or limited visibility, people may not see it. An orange flag will catch attention. It’s now up to someone to wonder why you have an orange flag. 

Even your 4-way flashers might tell people you just pulled over on the side of the road. Be careful when using your hazard lights, especially when driving in snow and visibility is poor. Many drivers have crashed into cars parked on the shoulder, thinking it’s a lane and the driver in front was going slow. For this reason alone, you should stay in your vehicle.

An old trick is to pop your hood. Many people will recognize it as a sign of trouble. The good old orange triangle or flares will tell people you need help. And, if all else fails, even writing a big “help” or “SOS” with your finger on a dirty window or body panel beats standing outside of the vehicle in bad winter weather.

Other Emergency Gear

A first aid kit is a must in any vehicle. I shouldn’t even have to write about it. Some automotive manufacturers, like German automakers, add a first aid kit to the car. 

A knife or multi-tool, even a small one, is of tremendous value if trapped in a vehicle during a winter storm. 

Lastly, pack a charging cable for your phone. It’s not a phone anymore for checking the bank or playing games – it just became what is probably your only communication device. 

ham radio is an excellent old-school backup to a phone for anyone interested. It is particularly true in rural areas where cell signals are hit or miss. Unlike satellite, cell phone, or messenger, there are no monthly fees associated with a ham radio.

When heading into the backcountry, I always carry a pack with all my survival gear. A worthy mention is that I’ll make a point of generally keeping it in my car during winter months. That automatically ticks off a lot of the items mentioned in this post. 

In your winter car emergency kit, you should already have

jumper cables
an ice scraper
a tow strap
a road flare
tire chains
and a small snow shovel

And don’t forget to pack some spare winter clothing into your emergency kit.

extra clothes
a hat
gloves
scarf
poncho
hand warmers
and wool socks

Winter Road Conditions

We all have our sources for the weather forecast. A neat tool for Ontario is the 511 Road Conditions website, which tells you the road conditions for all the highways in Ontario. If you are outside Ontario, I would assume there is something similar for your area. 

Weather can change fast, as can the state of a highway’s conditions. With something like the above winter forecast source, you will at least know what you are heading into regarding hazardous winter road conditions.

Survival - Stranded in a Car During Winter - Car accident on winter road
Two car crash on a snowy winter road

Step 3 – Emergency Food & Water for Cold Weather Survival

Food

A human can survive for 1-3 months without food! A lack of food when stranded in a car during winter is no cause for panic. You would, however, find yourself a lot more comfortable if you had something to eat.

I highly recommend carrying nonperishable food like energy bars, granola bars, protein bars, beef jerky, dried fruits and nuts and so on in your winter emergency vehicle kit. Without getting into details, these foods are suitable to energize and sustain someone stranded in a car. Eating also helps warm you up and maintain body temperatures, especially with slower-digesting foods.

Meals. Yes, it is Easily Done!

The food I listed above is ample. If you are the type that absolutely “has” to eat to be happy, you can carry some MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). Mountain House products taste great! Their Mac and Cheese is perfect for these situations.

All you have to do is boil some water, add it to the bag, and wait the allotted time, usually about 10 minutes. I have had many MREs in the bush, hunting camps, etc. Most of them do taste amazing!

PRO TIP

Don’t forget to keep a spoon with your MREs. Get a longer one if you can. It makes scooping from the bag much more manageable and keeps your hands clean.

Stove and Pot

You will also need a stove & pot to boil water for your MRE. Again, make sure you have a little fresh air when in use. The water will probably boil within a few minutes. And yes, I know I said meals are easy. They are – you just need to pack a few more items if you take this route.

PRO TIP

If you pack a stove for an MRE, you might as well carry a couple of tea bags, coffee or bullion cubes – nothing like a warm drink to warm you up when stranded in a car during winter. It takes little space and tucks neatly into the pot or some nook and cranny of your gear bag.

Water

Similar but different to food, you can survive for 3 days without water, so again, don’t panic! You don’t need much to stay hydrated – a few water bottles tossed into your car will go a long way. Remember that water does freeze in the winter if left inside a vehicle. Consider pouring out an inch or so to compensate for expansion.

Water is a resource, and when stranded in a vehicle, you are now in an emergency situation. Sip on it here and there, and conserve. You may be stuck longer than expected. If you carry a pot and stove, as mentioned above, and if you can find some clean snow, you can boil it for safe consumption.

PRO TIP

Remove a couple of inches of snow from the top and get what’s underneath, which is usually cleaner. It takes about 12 inches of snow for 1 inch of water! Something is always better than nothing!

Medicine

Some people require regular medications to stay alive. It can also mean an urgent need for medicine in a very short time – to the point that no medicine equates to yet another emergency you now have to deal with. 

I’m not going to ask you to carry your medicine cabinet with you, but at the very least, always have 2-3 days’ worth on your person. Check with your pharmacist for advice, as different medicines may have different requirements for temperatures and storage.

Related: Travel Worry-Free With the NEW JaseGo Medication Kit

Step 4 – Bathroom

During the pandemic, many of us have found creative ways to use the washroom when they were all closed. It’s an awkward topic, but it is what it is, and I have peed in many empty Tim Hortons coffee cups. That trick has repeatedly saved me from disaster.

If, at this point, you are laughing at me, I need to laugh back at you, because at least I’m not one of the multiple people I saw peeing on the side of a busy parking lot somewhere in the city.

So, what about when you are stuck on the highway with hundreds of spectators? Simple, for that you carry a little bucket. And for a number 2 that won’t go away, bring little baggies that fit over your bucket and can be tied off. Don’t forget some toilet paper or wipes.

Wipes double for a million other purposes, especially if you have children. The good news is, while our cars don’t have a sink, we all have hand sanitizer and were not shaking hands anytime soon:)

Step 5 – How to Conserve Fuel and Keep Warm

We are all spoiled in our daily lives, everything from seat heaters and remote car starters to music from space. These are all nice and dandy during good times. The problem is that it makes us more than a little soft during the bad times. 

Sadly for most motorists out there, when they run out of gas or get stuck, they are dead in the water and relying on someone else to rescue them. Only in winter will you find yourself working against the clock as the temperature drops.

A tip for staying warm if stranded in your car is to run your engine for 10 minutes, warm up a bit and then shut it off. You can do this over and over again. Not in the name of the environment because you can’t worry about that right now, but because you are trying to conserve fuel, one of your vital resources. 

The same advice applies to food, water, matches, toilet paper, etc. Once you use it up, it’s gone!

In these or any survival situations, you must put your creature comforts aside and learn to conserve your resources. Guess what? The less prepared you are, the more you must conserve to stay alive. It’s that simple.

I would also like to add that some of these resources go hand in hand. If you take me up on Step 3 – Food and Water, you WILL NEED Step 4 – Bathroom! So, if you prep your vehicle as per this post, don’t forget that some preps must go hand in hand with others. When stranded in a car during winter, going outside to use the bathroom is not fun – that bucket now becomes your best friend.

When Help Isn’t Coming

There are times in life when help just isn’t coming. Many people can’t comprehend that because it’s never happened to them, but it is possible and evident.

Ontario’s Peel Region (City of Mississauga and Brampton) recently had a code black thanks to staffing shortages from COVID-19. What that means is NO ambulances available – for a population of almost 1.4 million.

So, what happens in a 40-car pileup, with 2 feet of snowfall, where emergency services can’t get to you? A major protest, civil unrest, a fire, etc. The point is, expect roadside assistance eventually, but don’t ever count on it.

City Folks Can Get Stranded in a Car During Winter, Too!!!

During inclement weather, you may feel more secure in your travels and believe you are immune to this – think twice. There are so many off-ramps within city limits, several kilometres along an open, windy highway to get back into the city.

You are also more likely to be wearing pretty clothes and shoes versus functional clothing. Some days, this can mean freezing to death for abandoning your vehicle versus painfully waiting for help.

Distances feel very short in cars and can be deceiving. If you don’t walk regularly, you might not realize exactly how far things are when you are on foot. While you have more places to seek shelter, you also have far more cars, people and congestion – and congestion makes it that much harder for help to get to you – or that many more people who also need help and may receive it before you do!

PRO TIP

Keep a spare puffer coat, snow pants, hat, gloves, socks and boots for each family member in the car in your winter survival kit. This way, if you have to leave behind your car and walk, you’ll be fine. Your extra clothing does not have to be trendy, just functional and warm.

Concluding Surviving Winter In A Car

It’s time to wrap up Survival – Stranded in a Car During Winter. Before you go, I must add one of the most crucial topics – your mind. Surviving a bad or life-threatening situation is heavily tied to the ability not to panic

Hunters, for example, have been found dead in the bush, yet they had all the gear they needed to make it through. Don’t ever panic, as it hinders your ability to think. Your mind also needs to re-enforce what is in your heart, which is the will to live!

If there’s a point you think I missed or you have questions, please send your comments. If you like the post, please like, share and follow on our social channels. 

And, if there is at least ONE single takeaway from this stranded in-car post, get a super warm sleeping bag and throw it in your car! Do this today and never look back.

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Survival - Stranded in a Car During Winter: Winter Preparedness Kit Checklist

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Survival: Stranded in a Car During Winter
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Stelios Lazos
Stelios Lazos

Stelios comes from the corporate world where he was a highly successful executive. Inspired by his love for the outdoors he has re-located with his family to live to the BushLife where he blogs about his adventures. Finding inspiration in the never-ending questions from aspiring outdoors people, Stelios aims to share his knowledge, one post at a time.

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