In this blog entry, the Chicago roadside assistance and Chicago vehicle recovery team here at Chicago Towing will detail the most important things to know if your car breaks down in winter weather.

Are you stranded with a broken car? If your car breaks down in a snowstorm the first thing you might want to do is get out of the car, but you should never do this. Contact a professional roadside assistance service right away, and then contact a friend or family member to let them know about your location and your current predicament.Then stay in the car, turning on the engine periodically for warmth. Make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t covered with obstructions or snow. If the vehicle is in a dangerous area like the middle of the road, get to a safe distance away from there.

Running Out Of Gas

If your car runs out of gas, keep the car at the roadside, close all the windows, and contact a fuel delivery service right away. The towing and roadside assistance companies that provide emergency fuel delivery services can bring you enough fuel for you to get to the closest gas station, and then charge you the4 price of the fuel plus a service charge based on how much distance is traveled. Make sure to clear off the glass of the vehicle while you wait so that people can know the vehicle is occupied and not abandoned.

Locked Out of Car

If you find yourself locked outside of the car in cold or snowy weather, find a safe shelter as soon as possible. We recommend covering your ears, mouth, and nose with a scarf to p-revent potential suffocation from wind or snow.

Snowbound?

We recommend keeping a survival kit in your car with a foldable shovel. However, if you’re really snowbound in a snowbank don’t try to shovel the snow. Stay as warm as possible and wait safely for help to arrive. If there’s such heavy snow that you cannot see, try to follow a fence off the road. Accident statistics are increased in this scenario.