As winters become more unpredictable, it should behoove drivers to take extra precautions against freezing to death in a snowbank. We all remember the impact of the so-called “polar vortex” of late December 2022.
It brought five days of record-cold temperatures and snowfall. On Dec. 24, 110 million people across 36 states were subject to wind chill alerts. Buffalo, N.Y., saw 56 inches (140 cm) of snowfall over a five-day period. More than 100 people died because of the storm.
That storm was remarkable in its ferocity, duration, and reach. It brought bitter winter weather to the southern reaches of the U.S., for which residents were totally unprepared. Even northerners, residents of Buffalo, for example, were overwhelmed by the snow. The city was basically shut down for nearly a week.
Had you been caught on a closed highway with little chance of rescue, you might well have perished in the cold.
Whether or not you accept climate change is happening, you can’t ignore the threat of weather like that. Even barring the threat of a full-blown polar vortex, cold temperatures, and snow accumulation remain a threat to man and machine — even in 2024. It takes minimal effort to prepare for such an eventuality, yet few drivers take even basic precautions.
Hypothermia
Should you become stranded in cold weather, the biggest threat you’re likely to face is hypothermia, which occurs when core body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 C). According to the Mayo Clinic, hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce heat.
Hypothermia is considered a medical emergency.
If you’re simply stranded on a closed highway with the engine still running and you have an adequate supply of fuel, you probably have little to worry about. But consider a rollover or a run-off-the-road crash. If the cab is still intact, you have shelter, but you may not have the benefit of the diesel engine to keep you warm. Or, your fuel may have simply gelled up, or moisture in the fuel may have frozen.
We could describe a dozen scenarios here, but let’s say you venture outside the truck to inspect the scene, look for damage, etc. Now, your clothes are snowy, maybe your shoes or boots are full of snow, and your socks are wet … Now, you have wet clothes and cold temperatures. Under those conditions, hypothermia is a definite threat.
Veteran driver Suzie Lyons recalls an incident from early in her career, winter 1993 in fact, when her truck gelled up outside of Fargo, N.D.
“I always carry candles, extra warm clothing, energy bars and heat packs to put in my boots and for my hands, but I wasn’t smart back then,” she says. “I didn’t have any of those supplies then. Not even candles. I learnt the hard way.”
She crawled into her bunk and put on every piece of clothing she had, covered up, and waited. For what, she wasn’t sure. But as it turned out, she got lucky that day.
“I was very fortunate that a farmer on his way into town stopped to check on me,” she says. “I left my doors unlocked and woke up to a faint voice asking if I was OK.”
The benevolent farmer packed Lyons up and took her to the hospital in town to get checked out. She suffered no long-term consequences.
“Had I been there just a little while longer I probably wouldn’t have been here to talk about this,” she adds.
Hypothermia is an insidious killer. It works slowly and with little drama. The body’s first reaction is shivering, which is an automatic defense response. Shivering is the body attempting to warm itself.
The Mayo Clinic says when body temperature drops, the heart, nervous system and other organs can’t work as well as they usually do. Left untreated, hypothermia can cause the heart and respiratory system to fail and eventually can lead to death.
Other symptoms include slurred speech or mumbling, slow, shallow breathing, weak pulse, and clumsiness or lack of coordination. It’s also associated with drowsiness or low energy, which can lead to falling asleep and eventually a loss of consciousness.
“People with hypothermia usually aren’t aware of their condition,” the Mayo Clinic stresses. “The symptoms often begin gradually. Also, the confused thinking associated with hypothermia prevents self-awareness. The confused thinking also can lead to risk-taking behavior.”
Like perhaps walking away from the vehicle in search of help.
As dire as a situation may seem, stranded drivers should never leave the vehicle and should stay alert for passing motorists. And if you’re really desperate, you can always burn something to generate some heat, just be aware of the possibility of starting a larger fire, and of the possibility of smoke inhalation or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Frostbite
Frostbite is another serious risk if you’re caught out in really cold weather without proper winter clothing. It’s caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. Exposed skin is at risk of frostbite in conditions that are freezing cold and windy or wet. Frostbite also can occur on skin covered by gloves or other clothing.
Unprotected skin is at risk of frostbite when temperatures dip to 5 degrees F (-15 C). The Mayo Clinic advises that if temperatures drop to -15 F (-15 C), frostbite can set in within 30 minutes.
The body parts most vulnerable to frostbite are the nose, ears, fingers, and toes. People with a history of diabetes, smokers, or previous cases of frostbite are more susceptible to the condition.
Be alert for numbness or tingling in the affected areas with mild frostbite. In more severe cases, slight changes in skin color can occur, or the skin might appear hard and waxy, and the affected area can become quite painful. The skin can also turn white or blue-grey. The Mayo Clinic advises that changes in skin color may be difficult to observe on brown and Black skin.
Mildly frostbitten skin can be gently warmed by placing hands under your arms, for example, or between your legs. For frostbite on the nose or ears, cover the area with warm, wet cloths for about 30 minutes, or even the palms of your hands if they are not frostbitten, too.
The May Clinic cautions against walking on frostbitten toes or feet and advises against warming the affected areas with direct heat, such as a truck cabin heating vent. Avoid rubbing the affected area.
Untreated severe frostbite can kill the skin in affected area, which can require surgery to remedy.
Cold weather precautions
We often associate cold weather risks with remote sections of highways, but closure can happen anywhere. Highways can be closed behind you, fuel can gel, and you can run off the road, even on interstate highways or our beloved Hwy. 401. It’s even more of a cause for concern on Ontario’s Highways 11 and 17 and Manitoba’s Hwy. 10, to name a few.
Several people died stranded in their cars during the storm that hit Buffalo in 2022. They were on I-90 less than 30 miles (50 km) out of the city.
For those unfamiliar with Canadian winters and the effects of exposure to cold temperatures, it is probably worse than you might imagine.
Here are some survival tips from a couple of veteran drivers. Their best advice is to be prepared:
Stuart Dunn is based in Medicine Hat, Alta. He runs his own truck and drop-deck trailer. With nearly 40 years of experience, he’s seen winter at its worst.
Since he often works outside tarping and securing his drop-deck loads, he wears insulated coveralls and gloves, Baffin-brand winter boots, and a fur-lined “trapper”-style hat.
In addition to his regular changes of clothes, he packs a bag to leave in the truck all winter. It’s got long-sleeved t-shirts, long underwear, several pairs of thick warm socks (in case one gets wet), jeans, a hoodie, gloves and a toque.
“That stays in the truck all winter, so I know it’s there,” he says. “I don’t have to remember to pack it when I leave.”
Dunn also keeps a tin can with a lid on it and a roll of toilet paper inside. If need be, he can pour in a quantity of methyl hydrate to soak the toilet paper roll. He says when lit with a lighter, it burns smokelessly, slowly providing heat in an emergency. “It also makes a great stove for heating canned food or melting snow for water,” he says.
Lloyd Smith is another chap with more winters under his belt than he’d care to remember. He hauls tanks for Bridgeland Terminals of Elmira, Ont. He has hauled regularly across the Trans-Labrador Highway and along Quebec’s North Shore, east of Quebec City. Both pretty inhospitable places in winter.
He doesn’t take chances.
“I keep a well-stocked kit in the truck with things to keep me warm, like candles, a foil emergency blanket, and a lighter,” he says. “I also keep a supply of non-perishable food, like canned fish, oysters, tuna, nuts, and protein bars. I have another bag with long johns, winter socks, extra sweaters, snowmobile mitts, insulated coveralls, and, of course, my favorite toque.”
He says storm-stayed drivers should stay with the truck and not go wandering off in search of help.
“If you’re warm and well fed, you’re gonna be fine. Someone will eventually find you,” he says.
In addition to what’s already been mentioned, an emergency kit should contain the following:
- Basic utensils such a spoon, knife and fork for eating as well as a can opener and maybe a small pot for heating water or food;
- Several large candles and/or a can of Sterno (gelled alcohol) for heat and a lighter;
- A rechargeable 12-volt flashlight or two and a rechargeable USB battery or power brick to keep your phone charged if the batteries run down;
- A shovel.
And here are some basic precautions to think about:
- Don’t let your fuel get below half. You’ll burn one to two gallons (four to eight liters) an hour at high idle, so you’ll need 30-40 gallons (150-200 liters) to idle for 24 hours if you don’t have a separate cab heater.
- If you have a downdraft exhaust, dig out any snow around it so you aren’t overcome by exhaust fumes, and always crack open a window when the engine is running.
- If you’re gelled up and the engine won’t run, use your batteries sparingly. The cold will limit their effectiveness.
- If you sleep, set an alarm to wake you periodically so you don’t slip into hyperthermia, staying active will help generate body heat.
- If the high cost of good warm winter clothing is a problem, consider shopping at Goodwill stores or used clothing outlets.
And finally, keep an eye on the weather along your route. If conditions look grim, consider waiting out the storm rather than heading off bravely (but foolishly) into the jaws of potential disaster.
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