Keep your cool in the cold and snow
Cold weather offers many pleasures, whether you're heading for the great outdoors or just curling up with a book and a warm blanket. But there are some things you need to prepare for.
Winter travel
Traveling during cold weather requires special precautions. Driving a car is not easy in wintry weather. If you're an inexperienced driver, your best bet is to stay off the road during bad weather. To practice, ask someone with winter driving experience to take you to a vacant parking lot where you can practice driving, turning and stopping in the snow.
If you must travel, keep your car gassed up so that the fuel lines don't freeze. Remember to clean snow off taillights and headlights. Watch out for slow-moving vehicles like snowplows.
Put together a car emergency kit that contains:
- An ice scraper and a snow brush
- A bag of sand or cat litter (for traction in snow)
- Flares
- A blanket
- A flashlight and batteries
- A first-aid kit
- Nonperishable snack foods
- A candle and matches
- A cup in case you need to melt snow for water
If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle. Run the heater occasionally to keep warm, but avoid carbon monoxide poisoning by making sure your tailpipe isn't plugged by snow or other debris.
Chilling out indoors
Even indoors, there are some cold-weather health hazards to avoid. More people come down with colds and the flu as activities move indoors for the winter. Eating properly and getting enough rest is the best way to boost your immune system to help you stay healthy. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly to stop the spread of germs.
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