When the weather outside is frightful...

By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter

As January nears its close and February prepares to breathe its icy frost across Wyoming roads, drivers should take time to update their vehicle survival kits and check their planning methods.

With plenty of cars and trucks sliding off the roads, Wyoming Department of Transportation officials say their employees have seen it all.

“We’ll get truckers coming through from warmer climates like California,” WyDOT representative Ross Doman said. “They’ll slide off the road, and you wouldn’t believe it. They’ll get out of their cabs in the blowing snow in shorts, T-shirts and sandals.”

Though they are more accustomed to handling adverse conditions, even the best Wyoming drivers should be prepared.

WyDOT provides a running list of items to be considered in the event of getting caught in less-than-ideal conditions.

Dave Kingham, in the public affairs office of WyDOT, said having a cell phone and a charger are of utmost importance. It gives the driver the opportunity to notify either highway patrol or the county sheriff of their condition and to get help as quickly as possible.

If caught in one of the many areas of Wyoming outside of cellular reception, Doman and Kingham both recommend staying with the car.

“How would you know where cell reception is?” Doman asked. “You really shouldn’t move. A plow driver should come along before too long, or the road will reopen and traffic will pick up again. It’s very rare that a road is closed longer than three days.” Kingham said closures average six to eight hours.

“Even if you think you’re relatively close to a town or a house, don’t try to walk to it,” Kingham said. “Bad visibility makes it very easy to get disoriented. In your car you’re protected. You’re also a bigger target for someone to find.” He said WyDOT plow drivers and troopers sweep the highway immediately after road closures to find stray vehicles.

A year ago, a West Coast family took a wrong turn in Oregon and was stranded in the snow for more than a week. The driver eventually left the vehicle to find help, but died en route. The rest of the family was found two days later by a helicopter. They had survived on bottled water, baby food and jelly. The event spurred WyDOT officials and others to talk more in depth about survival and rescue methods.

Neither representative had a specific answer for how long a person can live in a stranded vehicle. Doman considered it a medical issue.

“What we’re talking about is how long a person can survive without food and water, in the cold. It really isn’t something that has a set number,” Doman said. He listed aspects to consider, including one’s age, health, general fitness and how much fuel the car has.

Having a full tank enables the victim to turn the heater on for 10 to 15 minutes every hour to stay warm, he said. Just be sure to clear the area by the tailpipe to avoid carbon monoxide accumulation.

In addition to following preparation guidelines, Kingham recommended communicating with people in your destination. Always let someone know the intended route and the estimated time of arrival, he said. “That way, if you don’t get there, someone can have a good idea of where to look,” he said.

“What it comes down to is if you bring (your survival) items, clearly you’re preparing for the worst case scenario. You go off the road, maybe you flip your vehicle, you’re injured and you could be there a while. The more you listen to those suggestions the better off you’re going to be,” Doman said. “You never know, you might end up spending the night in your car.”


Official name common problem areas

Wyoming Department of Transportation public affairs representative Dave Kingham and spokesman Ross Doman outlined three of the most common reasons drivers encounter problems on Wyoming roads.

Often, drivers make ill-informed decisions. WyDOT recommends dialing 511 or using its Web site to get up to date and detailed information on road conditions.

Cruise control reduces the driver’s feel for the road, so the person is unable to detect slippage on black ice or other dangerous situations. It is often set in ideal conditions, but those conditions can change quickly, Kingham said. Paired with an automatic transmission, the car will downshift to maintain speed on hills. The added power will cause the wheels to slip and the driver to lose control, the pair said.

Most drivers attempt to drive faster than conditions permit. Interstate 80 closures between Rawlins and Cheyenne would often be unnecessary if drivers paid attention to the conditions and drove appropriately, Doman said.