
Photo by Jakob Rosen on Unsplash
Transport Canada has several excellent tips for winter driving safety, but today's big question is what to do when your vehicle (car, SUV, and pickup truck) gets stuck in the snow.
If you are stuck and are in danger, call 9-1-1, and an officer will attend and provide emergency lighting to ensure you are not struck by another vehicle. However, you should expect to wait sometime.
If you are stuck and not in danger, you'll have to call a towing company - not the police.
As of 11:30 AM on Monday, Jan. 16. CH&R Towing is taking about 2 to 3 hours to respond to vehicles stranded on the QEW. So far, they are dealing with two tracker-trailers that are jackknifed at Brant Street and were towing vehicles stranded on off and on-ramps at Trafalgar Road and Third Line.
At Abram's Towing Services, which doesn't have a contract for the QEW/403, they are stating that wait times for a tow truck are at a minimum of 3 to 4 hours.
Comments from both tow truck companies, "It's a mess out there."
Your vehicle is stuck in the snow; now what?
Stay calm if you get trapped in a storm or snowbank
Don't do any heavy lifting, shovelling or pushing in the bitter cold - it can kill.
Ensure your vehicle's tailpipe is not blocked by snow to keep carbon monoxide from getting into your vehicle. Then, if your vehicle is not at risk of being hit by other drivers, stay inside, so you have shelter. Going out into a storm puts you at risk of getting lost or suffering from the cold.
You should also:
- Keep a window on the side sheltered from the wind open a bit to give you a good supply of fresh air
- Run your motor as little as possible
- Use hand and foot warmers instead of the vehicle's heater
- Wear a hat since you can lose up to 60 per cent of your body heat through your head
- Set out a warning light, reflective safety triangles or flares
- Put on the dome light. Overuse of headlights may run your battery down
- Exercise your arms and legs often
- Stay awake
- Watch for traffic or searchers