PageS
Daily Nebraskan
Monday, October 29, 1984
6
11 35
aunders
Weekdays: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Saturday:. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
We'll make your import
sound as good as it looks
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By Susan Currey
Dally Nebraskan Staff Reporter
Being a prepared driver could
be the key to survival in a Ne
braska blizzard.
According to Randy Jones,
spokesman for the Lancaster
County chapter of the American
Red Cross, the first step in pre
paring your car for the winter
and a possible blizzard is "keep
ing the gas tank as full as possi
ble." This will prevent water from
getting in the gas tank, he said.
Another element that is impor
tant during the winter is having a
citizens band radio in the car.
This helps call for help during an
emergency, Jones said.
Jones recommends that
drivers buy a storm kit and keep
it in the car. The storm kit should
contain either a sleeping bag or
two or more blankets, newspap
ers for insulation and two, 3
pound coffee cans with lids, Jones
said. One can is for urination and
the other is to burn candles for
heat, he said.
Jones also recommends
matches be dipped in wax in
order to prevent them from get
ting wet. A box of facial tissues
also is beneficial and should be
put in the storm kit.
It is important for the motorist
to have a first-aid kit containing:
a pocket knife, a flashlight with
extra batteries, a small sack of
sand, a small shovel and a well
organized food supply high in
calories such as dried fruit, nuts
and candy, he said.
Jones cold other useful
items to keep in the car are: tools
such as pliers, screw driver and
Jumper cables. Also include a
windshield scraper and a tran
sistor radio with extra batteries.
The motorist should be careful
when using the car battery, oth
erwise it may run down, leaving
the car occupants without asource
of heat. Only run the car when
necessary and crack the window
to keep fresh air circulating. The
open window should be "one that
i3 downhill because of carbon
monoxide pollution," Jones said.
If the exhaust pipe becomes
clogged, carbon monoxide will be
funneled into the car, causing the
death of the motorist.
Stay in the car as much as
possible. "Direct exposure is more
deadly than actually being in the
car," he said.
Jones recommends motorists
don't go out to seek help because
it is very easy to get lost when the
snow and wind are blowing. The
reflection of the snow "plays tricks
on people," he said.
However, he said, get out of the
car periodically to make sure the
exhaust pipe is not clogged by
snow.
Jones also said exercising is
important. Exersise by "clapping
your hands and moving around,"
he said.
If more than one person is
trapped in the blizzard, "it is best
to sleep at alternate times"
because one person will always
be able to call for help, Jones said.
If the motorist is alone and
wants to sleep, the car's dim lights
should be on and a bright article
of clothing should be placed on
the car antenna.
Most importantly, don't panic.
Generally, help is only a couple of
hours away, he said. Snow crews
and other search parties will find
the motorist more easily if the
motorist stays in the car.
Road conditions reports are
available from the Nebraska State
Patrol.
Being aware of the severity of
the roads and weather before
attempting to travel may save a
motorists's life, Jones said.
Drivers: Use preparation, caution
on state 's hazardous winter roads
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2920 Cornhusker Hwy. 10th & South Streets
Lincoln, NE 467-4359 Lincoln, NE 475-4525
By Ann Rasmussen
Daily Nebraskan Staff Reporter
It may be a beautiful fall, but it
wont last. Just around the corner
are ice, sleet and snow of another
Nebraska winter, with the annual
slipping, sliding and hazards that
accompany driving on snow and
ice.
Caution is the key work when
handling a car on ice. Drivers
should go slow and remain calm,
yet ready at all times to handle
skids. If cars skid, the most im
portant thing drivers should re
member is to avoid using the
brakes. Braking sharply can only
worsen the problem and possibly
cancel control over steering.
Also, don't accelerate unless
the skid was induced by turning.
In that case, drivers can correct a
skid by slight acceleration if they
know how to steer correctly.
"Countersteering" is the tech
nique used to control a car in a
skidding situation. Steer the car
the direction the front end of the
car should go, usually opposite of
the skid direction.
According to R. L. Clark, dis
trict manager of the AAA auto
club in Lincoln, the best advice to
be given about driving in a bliz
zard or bad winter weather is:
Dont.
"Seek shelter and wait until the
roads have been cleared and the
wind has died down before con
tinuing," Clark said.
However, if drivers are caught
in a blizzard, Clark suggests that
they use headlights only on the
low setting. Bright headlights will
be reflected back into the drivers'
eyes. Use the right hand side of
the road as a guidline when vis
ibility is poor and check the con
dition of the road periodically by
applying the brakes to see if there
is ice buildup.
ing the brakes to see if there is ice
buildup.
"The wind factor of a blizzard
creates more of a hazard than
the heavy snow accumulation,"
Clark said. "It is the wind that
obscures visibility and makes it
difficult to keep the roads clear."
Clark said the swirling motion
of the snow can cause motion
sickness for some drivers, placing
them in a type of hypnotic state.
This is when concentration is
broke and accidents happen.
When planning a long trip, be
informed of the conditons ahead
by calling the Nebraska State Pa
trol for a road report. Also, in
case of emergency, it is smart to
be prepared. Pack cars with blan
kets, a flashlight with extra bat
teries, food rations and a sandbag.
Prepartion, caution and con
centration all are important to
remember when driving in haz
ardous winter conditions.
IMPORT AUTO REPAIR
Voteragon . . . Audi . . . Honda . . . Daisy n . . . Toyota
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Good through 'November 10
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Remember Last December?
Stop in and let our trained technicians
prepare your car for winter now!!
Don't wait until it's too late.
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