6 Essential Tips for Motorists Stranded on the Road during the Wintertime

Navigating winter roads can be difficult, especially during or after a storm or heavy snowfall. In some cases, the extra traveling challenges that come with wintertime can lead to traffic accidents and/or vehicle breakdowns. And this can leave motorists stranded on the roads – possibly for hours or longer – waiting for assistance.

If you find yourself in this situation at any point this winter season, here’s what will be important to remember and do in order to minimize your risk of additional problems and/or injuries:

1. Try to contact help if possible – If you have a charged cellphone that gets reception where you are at, try to call for help ASAP. Although it may take some time for help to arrive (particularly if the roads are shut down and/or have to be cleared), at least you will have the peace of mind knowing that help is on its way.
2. Stay with your vehicle – Regardless of whether you are able to call for help, do not wander away from your vehicle looking for help or assistance. Vehicles can provide essential shelter and warmth while waiting for help. Wandering away from vehicles, however, will typically lead to more risks and complications (like getting lost, falling and getting hurt, etc.).
3. Make yourself visible – Winter weather can reduce visibility, especially during a storm. So, try to make your vehicle as visible as possible by tying fluorescent tape to the antenna, putting flares or cones around the vehicle, and leaving the dome light on (especially at night). Road crews may be able to see these markers from far away, and this can be critical if drivers were unable to contact help and report their location.
4. Preserve your energy – In other words, don’t try to dig your vehicle out of snow, don’t try to push vehicles, and don’t do anything that will exhaust and/or hurt you. It will be enough of a stressor waiting in the cold, so try not to do anything that would exacerbate this or increase your risk of injuries.
5. Know when & how to run your vehicle if possible – Don’t run your vehicle without first checking that the exhaust pipes are clear of snow and other blockages. If you do need to run your vehicle for heat (or to listen to the radio, charge your phone, etc.), try to limit this to about 10 minutes every hour to preserve fuel and power.
6. Remain alert – Don’t expect to be comfortable, and do what you need to do to stay as focused and alert as possible. If one or more people are with you, make sure that at least one person remains away at all times.

Contact a Denver Car Accident Lawyer at the Klibaner Law Firm

Have you been injured in an auto accident? If so, a Denver car accident lawyer at the Klibaner Law Firm is here for you, ready to aggressively advocate your rights to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.

To learn more about your options and how we can help you, contact our firm today by calling us at (303) 863-1445 or emailing us using the contact form on this page. From our offices based in Denver, our attorneys provide superior representation to injured people throughout the Denver metro area and Colorado.