My parents live in a suburban area. Tracks of houses amid farmland, lakes, etc. There was a woman whose car went off the road, she got out and tried to walk in snow. She died. This happened about three quarters of a mile from my parents' house. I've never forgotten. And if your car gets stuck, crack open a window and run the engine from time to time. Always travel with a full tank of gas. Tie a white cloth to your side view mirror if you need help. A plow or the police will eventually see you.

It's good to have this reminder. I remember the awful case a year or two ago where the father went to seek help and didn't survive. His wife and babies were found alive.

Keep your car full of gas and your cell phone charged (among other things!).

Keep an empty soup can, a couple of candles and a box of matches, some hard candy, a couple of dollar store "space" blankets that will reflect your body heat back, a book or puzzle book and a pen to pass time if stranded. These items can all be stored in a small tupperware container or even one of those small inexpensive insulated lunchbags that are sold everywhere. Bottled water always, in the winter you do not have to fill the jug..just leave room for expansion if it freezes. If you don't need it - your car radiator just might. If space isn't a matter toss a couple of sleeping bags and a bag of kitty litter for traction and a small shovel. The heat from that candle burning in the can may save a life. Safer than turning the car on if stuck in the snow because of carbon monoxide.I think everyone is taught to stay with your vehicle but common sense just goes in one ear and out the other when a crisis does exist.

Several things I don't agree with. First, never put water in your radiator, especially in the winter. Carry antifreeze. A frozen radiator can leave you stranded. In an emergency in the summer, water will work temporarily but be sure to change it asap.

A white rag won't be seen in a snowstorm. Blaze orange, red, neon green, something colorful that will catch an eye.

Run your car engine, but be sure to clean out by the exhaust pipe. Burning a candle in the vehicle will burn oxygen too so you're back to needing ventilation depending on how tight your vehicle is.

While we hope a plow or cop will help, let's not forget recently when Old Joyful was stuck and the plow drove by and ignored him. And I remember a time about 25 years ago some friends and I were going to Rochester in the winter. Yes, the weather was bad and we shouldn't have been out but I was riding with them and we were caravaning with some other friends. Well we got into a bad storm. People getting stuck and with little clearance on their car, we too got stuck. A highway patrol came from the opposite direction and yelled out the window "well you're gonna have to get yourselves out - you shouldn't even have been out today!" Gee thanks. To protect and serve yourself?

Unfortunately we get a little overconfident. We start to think we're invincible and can trek out and be OK. All too often we underdress for the weather and just think that we can't break down, get stuck, have an accident or whatever. I keep telling people that with cell phones as cheap as they are now, there's no excuse for not having one. $3-$5 a month is certainly worth it for the peace of mind. And people who drive and have cell phones and no car chargers should be locked up and treated for terminal stoopid.

Of course these are all referenced toward the northern climates. Keep a blanket or two, maybe a sleeping bag, some extra clothes in the vehicle. At least if you underdress you can compensate. Carry a shovel, jumper cables, antifreeze, window wash fluid (preferably the de-icer type) and the emergency kit items. A tow strap or chain, maybe even a comealong, an empty gas can can be good, a full one better. I carry a battery charger and extension cords. Of course a good snow scraper/brush or 2 and tire chains aren't a bad idea either, but you need to know how to use them. These are more for the local travel, if you're going a distance there's the other things to consider.

This year has been a cold year here compared to many of the last years. Not record setting but more toward normal and a lot of below zero and breezy times. The best thing to carry is a rare commodity these days. Common sense.