With the winter weather well underway in upstate New York, there are some safety precautions you may want to take. Accidents happen every day and we see them more often when the weather is bad. You may be the best driver in the world and find yourself in an accident due to another driver. What do you do in this situation? Here I have come up with a few things to look into based on my own experience.

1. Look into getting a roadside assistance plan.

Most months this membership will sit in your wallet and not see too much use. However, it comes in use when you least expect it to. You may slide off the road into a snow bank and not be able to get out. What if something happens to your car driving down the highway and the car won’t start. Either situation you may need to be towed somewhere. In this case, you may have a plan that includes some type of towing service. AAA Roadside Assistance is a membership program that allows you to pay monthly and take advantage of discounts, and roadside assistance when in need.e plan. Most months this membership will sit in your wallet and not see too much use. However, it comes in use when you least expect it to. You may slide off the road into a snow bank and not be able to get out. What if something happens to your car driving down the highway and the car won’t start. Either situation you may need to be towed somewhere. In this case, you may have a plan that includes some type of towing service. AAA Roadside Assistance is a membership program that allows you to pay monthly and take advantage of discounts, and roadside assistance when in need.

2. Keep an emergency kit in your car.

Since you never know when an emergency will strike you need to be prepared. Make an emergency kit to keep in the trunk or back seat of your car. You should include a variety of items that you may need in an emergency. Pack an extra set of clothes, these can come in handy even if you aren’t in an emergency. You may spill something on your clothing or fall in a puddle and need a dry change of clothes. IF you were ever in an accident a spare change of warm clothes. Layers may be key if you cannot get the car to turn on for heat. Pack a blanket to wrap up in as well. Next, make sure you have tools in the car. Even If you don’t know how to do a repair on your car someone passing by or a passenger may be able to help with the right tools. Lastly, keep some foods with a long shelf-life in your kit. Granola bars and other such foods are small and easy to put away. This will be something to hold you over in the event of an emergency. Water may be more difficult to keep in the car because it will freeze in the winter. This is still a necessity of life and you may need it. If you can remember each time you go to your car to bring a water bottle you will be in good shape.

There may be other items that you want to include in your kit that may not be as essential. I have included hand and feet warmers in mine just in case. I have used my spare clothes from falls and spills before. Oddly enough, the one time my car was broken down on the side of my highway this winter I didn’t have my emergency kit. The person with me knew how to work on cars but didn’t have any tools to help me. I ended up using my AAA membership to have the car towed where I needed it.

Good Luck and Stay Safe!