10 Survival Tips for Keeping Warm in Your Peugeot When You’re Stuck in the Snow

Winter is a harsh time, for both you and your Peugeot. In England, the average annual snowfall is between 6.7 centimetres and 86.6 centimetres, depending on your location. In Wales, the yearly snowfall averages between 5.4 centimetres and 32.4 centimetres. The yearly snowfall in Scotland, however, averages between 5.3 centimetres and 115.2 centimetres depending on where you live.

There are exceptions to these averages, of course. In January, 1881, UK’s most severe blizzard hit. An estimated 100 individuals died during the blizzard, which brought 91.4-centimetre drifts to the London and Middlesex region, 426.72-centimetre drifts on the Isle of Thanet and 365.76-centimetre drifts in Cowes.

With winter upon us, these facts may lead you to beg the question: “If I found myself in the middle of a blizzard and went off the road in my Peugeot… would I have the skills to stay warm?” If this question is on your mind, don’t worry. You’re not the only one. Surviving winter’s cruel grasp is possible if you know exactly what to do and are prepared.

Tips for Surviving When You’re Stuck in the Snow

Scenario: You’re driving along a peaceful back road when it begins to snow- hard. You don’t think about it at first. You’re focused on seeing the road and getting home. The wind begins to blow hard, pushing your car toward the shoulder and piling snow along the sides of the road. Ice begins to develop on the road, and you find yourself slipping and sliding as you drive. In just a few short seconds, you go from on the road into a ditch lined with snow. No matter what you do, you can’t seem to get out, and there’s no one around to help. What do you do now?

How You Should Prepare for This

While you may be worried about what you should do in the present, think about the past for a moment. In preparation for getting stuck in the snow, there are a few things you should do.

• Regularly Maintain Your Peugeot Parts- Every one of the car parts under your Peugeot’s bonnet is essential when you’re in a survival situation, but especially your heat. Make sure you regularly maintain car parts like the heater control unit, cabin filter, heater blower switch, heat exchanger hose and coolant control valve. Having heat available to you in a blizzard or when you’re stuck in the snow can save your life.

• Keep a Few Supplies in the Boot- Survival demands supplies, and there should always be a stock of supplies in your boot. It should include non-perishable food, water, blankets, warm clothes and winter apparel, a charged cell phone, flares and first aid supplies. Cat litter is also an important item. In a situation where your tyres are stuck in the snow, cat litter can be placed behind or in front of the tyres to provide traction.

What to do in the Moment

If you’ve found yourself stuck in the snow, with no help in sight, here are a few tips on how to survive in your Peugeot.

• Operate the heater every 10 minutes on the hour. This will help maintain the heat in the car and prevent you from using up the petrol you have before help arrives. Keep in mind that in these situations it may be several hours before rescue vehicles find you, as they may be kept from the roads because of the weather. Before you run the heat, however, make sure the exhaust pipe is clear of any debris or snow. A blocked exhaust pipe will result in poisonous gausses entering the vehicle’s cabin.

• Block off any space in the car that isn’t being used. Use blankets, clothing, supplies or even leaves to block off areas of your car where heat can be lost. Anything at your disposal can be used to help prevent loss of heat.

• Use the snow. While snow is cold, it can be used as an insulator to keep heat inside your car. If it looks like you might be there for a while, bury your car in the snow, leaving enough room that you can still open your door and have fresh air. Avoid blocking the exhaust pipe as well. If you choose to do this, make sure the place something on top on the snow to signal to rescuers that you are hidden beneath the snow in the car.

• Move often. You might not have a lot of space, but don’t forget to move around as often as you can. Moving your toes, feet, hands, legs and arms keeps your circulation going, which can keep you warm.

• If you’re stuck in the vehicle with someone else, take advantage of the heat that your bodies can provide. Huddle together closely to increase the amount of heat in your car.

• Put on some warm clothes. This is especially important if you’ve gone outside to bury the car under the snow. Don’t stay in your wet clothes. This can quickly lead to hypothermia, which can be deadly. Instead, get out of those clothes immediately and put on some dry ones.

• Call for help. Use the charged cell phone in your emergency supplies to let emergency services know where you are and that you need assistance.

Make sure you’re prepared to be stuck in your Peugeot in the middle of a winter storm. Before you head out anywhere, take care of your Peugeot parts by performing regular maintenance on them. This is especially important when it comes to the car parts that control your heater, as the heat you have during this survival situation can mean the difference between life and death.

In addition, be sure you know how to act if you do get stuck in the snow. Save on petrol by only turning your car on and operating the heat for 10 minutes every hour. Protect yourself from harmful gausses by removing any debris or snow from around the exhaust pipe as well. By doing so, you’ll have a better chance of surviving until help becomes available to you.