MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Now that the snow has fallen, it is important to prepare for winter driving. Emergency car kits are important to have if a roadside emergency happens. A simple emergency car kit can enhance your safety and ensure that you are prepared.

The Department of State advises to pack away a cellular phone, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, hazard triangles, a tire gauge, spare fuses, jumper cables, a flash light, a warm blanket and clothes, and even a pen and paper in your emergency car kit to ensure your safety if an accident occurs.

The Department of State and Michigan’s Sheriffs’ Association share tips that keep yourself and others safe while driving in the winter weather:

• Make sure your vehicle is in good working order: have working wiper blades, fill up on antifreeze and window-washer fluid, check for proper tire inflation, ensure your battery has sufficient charge
• Keep an emergency kit ready in your vehicle
• To avoid slipping off the roadway, drive more slowly and give yourself more room to stop. Remember to brake gently to prevent skidding.
• If your vehicle does get stuck: never spin your wheels (that only digs the tires in more deeply), use a shovel to dig around the wheels and undercarriage, turn the steering wheel from side to side to clear any snow away from the front tires, gently ease the vehicle out)
• Let other people know your travel plans so if you don’t arrive they’ll know where to start looking (tell people the route you plan to take)
• Make sure your vehicle has fresh air if you become stuck by checking the exhaust system to see if it’s plugged by snow: open a window or turn off your car if necessary (Carbon monoxide produces by your vehicle is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill)