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How Long Could You Live Out of Your Car?

In February, hundreds of people were stranded in their cars for about 12 hours on the Coquihalla Highway in British Columbia. The highway was shut down due to freezing rain and treacherous conditions. One among many of British Columbia’s highways that were shut down this winter.

Unfortunately for those traveling the Coquihalla that day, the closure was put into effect at about 6pm, forcing them to stay in their cars overnight. Officials had announced just hours earlier that the highway was open, before shutting it down again. Needless to say, many people were frustrated and confused about the decision.

It’s painful to imagine spending even one night in your car in freezing temperatures, isn’t it? You would hopefully have at least a bottle of water and some snacks and blankets.

It’s an important reminder that whenever you hop in your vehicle to drive somewhere—especially if you’re going out of town—it’s a good idea to have some extra blankets, water such as our blue can water, and snacks. In the spring, certain passes on highways are frequently shut down because of mudslides or accidents. So it’s never a waste of time to get prepared.

For those who were stuck on the Coquihalla overnight—especially those with kids—it must have been an uncomfortable and even distressing situation. Now can you imagine being stuck with only your car and whatever is in it—for multiple days and nights?

Consider the question: How long could you live out of your car?

Even if you’re not ready to get a full-on auto survival kit, you may want to create a list of at least the basics. Here’s our list to help get you started:

  • Calorie food bars such as our SOS bars
  • Water bottles or pouches
  • Emergency poncho and blanket(s)
  • Flashlight
  • Tissue or toilet paper
  • Survival whistle

If you don’t have the basic car tools in your trunk as well—such as jumper cables, tire chains, spare tire, jerry can, ice scraper, etc.—now is always a good time to get prepared. Remember, an emergency isn’t going to wait for you to get prepared.

-Content created by Sophie Wooding – Writer, gardener, cyclist and emergency preparedness enthusiast!

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