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Winter Driving - Part 3 of 3 - Tips for Long-Distance Winter Trips

2/10/2022

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Tips for Long-Distance Winter Trips - Part 3 of 3

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In Part 3, we'll discuss things to consider when planning a long distance trip in the winter to keep you safe. Remember, a long distance trip could be anything over an hour away under normal driving conditions.
  • Be Prepared: Have your vehicle checked by a Martinsville Pro Towing Approved Auto Repair facility before hitting the road. The small cost in getting your vehicle checked out will be worth it. Minor repairs are less expensive than Major repairs.
  • Check the Weather: Check the weather  in your current location and at your destination when you’re expected to arrive. You also should check the weather conditions along your route and when possible, delay your trip if bad weather is expected. At minimum, plan along your route for places you can stop or over-night, so you’ll have peace of mind before you leave. Record the business name, address, phone numbers, etc, so you’re organized before departure.
  • Stay Connected: Before hitting the road, for your safety, notify others and let them know your route, when you’re departing, destination and estimated time of arrival.
  • If you get stuck in the snow:
    • Stay with your vehicle: Your vehicle is the best temporary shelter while making it easier for rescuers to find you. Never try to walk in a severe storm. Remember the Donnors? They even have a mountain pass named after their tragedy. When venturing from your vehicle, in the blowing snow, it’s easy to lose sight of your vehicle and become lost.
    • Don’t over exert yourself: When digging your vehicle out of the snow, stop when you become tired. Listen to your body. It’s knows best. Be safe and take your time. You’ll eventually dig your way out. This is where that compact shovel comes into play. Take turns if other capable people are traveling with you.
    • Be Visible: Tie a brightly colored cloth (or preferably a wide brightly colored plastic strip – snow is less likely to stick to it) to the antenna of your vehicle or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if possible. Preferably pack an LED battery-powered button light in your emergency kit. This way you won’t exhaust your battery, even though, It only uses a small amount of electricity and either option will make it easier for rescuers to find you.
    • Clear the Exhaust Pipe: I know it’s major inconvenience, but make sure the exhaust pipe is not clogged with snow, ice or mud. (Another use for the compact shovel) A blocked exhaust pipe can bring deadly carbon monoxide gas inside your vehicle while the engine is running. While running the engine, slightly open a window farthest from direction the wind is blowing to ventilate your passenger compartment.
    • Clear a path for Oxygen: In the event you’re caught in blizzard conditions, you need to make sure your car is not completely covered. This can seal out oxygen from your car, so clear a path or tunnel, so air can reach your car windows.  Take turns sleeping
    • Stay Warm: Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps. Pre-pack blankets and heavy clothing to use in case of an emergency. Make good use of hunting or skiing clothing to stay warm.  Think in terms of layers  that do not fit tightly. We humans just need to create a micro-climate around our bodies to stay warm. This is where having enough food and water also helps to keep you warm. A little exercise helps too. Moving your body parts: arms, legs, hands to generate warmth.
    • Conserve Fuel: If possible, only run the engine to heat the interior long enough to remove the chill. In severe cases, run your engine for only 10 mins each hour to stay warm. This helps to conserve the fuel in your vehicle and prolong your safety window.
We hope this series on Driving Tips in the Winter has been helpful to you. Stay safe out there on the road. And in the event you find yourself needing a tow truck, give a ring. Tap our phone number and we'll hook you up.
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Avoid Vehicle Collisions with Animals

2/3/2022

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Avoid Vehicle Collisions with Animals

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Hitting an animal with your vehicle can be dangerous and are also costly. According to AAA, “From 2001 to 2011, animal collisions contributed to more than 2,080 fatal crashes nationwide.” Animal action can be unpredictable and down-right erratic. You can’t predict what they’ll do. Doesn’t matter if it’s a dog, squirrel, deer, moose, horse or a cow on the road or roadside, they create a dangerous situation for you, the motorist. Martinsville Pro Towing encourages drivers like you, to not only watch the center of the roadway, but also scan the sides of the road and use caution / remain alert to avoid colliding with domestic animals or wildlife.
You should be aware that most wildlife-vehicle collisions happen during the autumn and winter seasons, and many can be prevented. These two seasons are when animals are migrating or in their normal seasonal movement periods. They’re changing up the population mix during and after the “rut”.
What To Do If An Animal Runs Out In Front Of Your Vehicle
Scan both sides of the road and shoulders ahead of you. This way you’ll help give yourself a cushion of reaction time if you detect an animal. Remember herd animals, such as deer, move in groups. There’s usually more than one in the area, so watch for others to appear.
If there’s no oncoming traffic ,use your high-beam headlights. This increases your odds of being able to see the Wildlife sooner when using your bright lights. This will give you options like: time to slow down, honk to scare the animal out of your path, or move over. Your high beams also help spot reflective eyes that some animals have.
If you can’t avoid hitting the animal, press your brakes firmly and remain in your lane. For most drivers, swerving to avoid hitting the animal can result in a more serious crash or you losing control of your vehicle. However, if you can safely avoid hitting the animal, that’s the best choice.
At dawn and dusk be extra cautious. The normal behavior of most animals, deer in particular, have a tendency to be more active in the early morning hours and at dusk. They can see well at night, so they’re active at night. They often sleep during the day, when their stomachs are full and their predators are also sleeping.
Seeing Wildlife signs or in known areas with High/Active wildlife populations, Slow down and use extra caution. During mating or hunting season, be aware of increased wildlife movement. Some areas have a higher density of wildlife than others, so be extra watchful in dense forests where it can be difficult to spot the danger.
Even though, it goes without saying, here it is…
Always wear a seat belt, remain alert, awake, and sober.
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Winter Driving - Part 1 of 3 - Winter Driving Tips

1/27/2022

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Winter Driving Tips - Part 1 of 3

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o need to knuckle-grip the steering wheel. Severe weather is often frightening and dangerous for travelers. It doesn’t matter if you can drive in the snow, you must be watchful of other drivers. “Winter storms, bad weather and sloppy road conditions are a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths every winter, according to research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.” All good drivers should know the safety precautions for dealing with winter road emergencies. At Martinsville Pro Towing, we urge drivers like you to be cautious while driving in adverse weather conditions. We’re providing some winter driving tips to refresh your memory about driving in the snow and bad weather conditions.
If you’ve ever been stuck in the snow with no hope of immediate rescue, it can be daunting. However, when you’re prepared, it makes the ordeal much easier to handle, because you know you’ll be safe. Even with the newest cell phone technology and systems that can find your cell phone, you’ll still need to be prepared in case the worst happens to you. In this three-part series, Martinsville Pro Towing recommends the following tips while driving in snowy and icy conditions:

Cold Weather Driving Tips

Cold Weather Driving Tips
  • Pack Your Emergency Winter Kit: Keep a package of cold-weather items in your car or truck.  These things include items, such as extra food (high energy shelf-stable is best in case of an emergency) and water, warm clothing (gloves, hats, scarves, coats, warm boots, etc) flashlight (consider getting a hand-cranked flashlight), extra batteries, a glass scraper, blankets, medications, compact shovel, traction supplies, and more. It’s a good idea to place these items in zipper plastic bags to protect them from moisture. In an emergency the plastic bag may also become handy. Make certain there are enough supplies for all travelers in the vehicle. Remember any supplies you’ll need for your pets if they will be traveling with you. And although it may sound silly, but be sure to pack a roll of toilet paper, wipes and hand sanitizer. No explanation is necessary, right?
  • Check Your Tires: Make certain your tires have plenty of tread and are properly inflated. So how do you know you have enough tire tread? Stick a quarter between the treads of your tires at several places (putting George in upside-down). If you can see the top of George’s hair, it’s about time to change your tires.
  • Full Tank of Fuel: It’s important to keep at least half a tank of fuel in your vehicle all the time. This helps prevent the fuel lines from freezing. It also prevents condensation from forming in the gas tank which can cause difficulty later in starting your car.
  • Carbon Monoxide Danger: For your protection, Never Ever warm up your vehicle in an closed in space, like a garage. Not even for a short time.  The build-up of carbon monoxide can kill you or other occupants in the attached building.
  • No Cruise Control Please: You might like the convenience, however do not use your cruise control when you’re driving on any slippery surface, like on ice and snow. The cruise control can not adapt to the road conditions to keep you safe.
In Part 2 of our series we'll talk about Tips for Driving in the Snow. We hope you find the information in our series on Driving Tips in the Winter useful to you. Stay safe out there on the road. And in the event you find yourself needing a tow truck, give a ring. Tap our phone number and we'll hook you up.
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