It is one of those things that Nadia Matos doesn’t leave home without during the winter months: an emergency kit in her vehicle.
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Matos → leave → vehicle
“We never expect that we will have an emergency where we will need one of those kits, but if you have one in your trunk, you are going to be very, very happy if you do happen to need one,” said the manager of external communications for CAA South Central Ontario.
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manager → expect → Ontario
“And [things] might not happen to you.
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things → happen → you
You might come across someone who has a flat tire or that has a broken-down car, and you are going to be able to help them out.
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you → come → them
When it comes to winter driving, the unexpected can happen anywhere and at any time.
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unexpected → come → time
With scientists warning that global warming could lead to stronger storms — such as the major dump of snow that led to the closure of highways in Gravenhurst in December 2025 — drivers and their vehicles need to be prepared for all the season throws at them.
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season → warn → them
That includes not only having an emergency kit but knowing how to drive according to the conditions and ensuring your vehicle is well maintained.
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vehicle → include → conditions
Have an emergency kit
“Having an emergency kit can sometimes make all the difference,” said Matos.
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Matos → have → difference
On its website, the CAA recommends an emergency kit for your vehicle includes flashlights, reflective safety triangles or flares, a small first-aid and tool kit, snow brush and scraper, plenty of windshield washer fluid and gas-line antifreeze, booster cables and extra fuses, a warm blanket and extra socks and gloves, hand and foot warmers, bottles of water, non-perishable food items like granola bars, and several other items such as tealights and matches.
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kit → recommend → tealights
“Those tealights and matches are going to keep the inside cabin of your vehicle warm enough that you can wait a few hours,” Matos said.
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Matos → go → hours
“It is about anticipating what you may need in an emergency, but maybe even adding to it,” she said, explaining you can also personalize a basic kit for your specific needs.
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you → anticipate → needs
Jason Cragg, who works in the education department of Young Drivers of Canada, said you definitely want to have kitty litter as part of your vehicle’s emergency kit.
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you → work → kit
“Kitty litter has larger granules and is better than sand.
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litter → have → sand
So, if you get stuck, you dig a little around the tires and put that kitty litter and it is much easier to get unstuck because it gives better traction than using sand.
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it → get → sand
And, if you are using salt, it just melts [the snow or ice] and then refreezes.”
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it → use → snow
Drive according to conditions
Being prepared also means knowing how to drive in winter.
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Being → drive → winter
Cragg said after he talks to his students about the importance of an emergency kit, he moves on to how they need to adapt their driving habits and attitudes during winter.
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they → say → winter
“One of the things we talk about is giving yourself more time to get to your destination,” he said.
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he → talk → destination
“You never know what is going to happen along the way.
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what → know → way
Things can pop up.
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Things → pop → ?
You might think everything is good and then, ‘Oh, here comes a snow squall’ and now it will take you longer.”
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it → think → you
He said planning ahead — including checking road conditions and the weather report before you leave and knowing alternative routes — allows you to take your time and not get stressed and make rash decisions.
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you → say → decisions
Cragg said you should also drive according to conditions.
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you → say → conditions
For example, slow down and be careful around bridges and overpasses, which will ice-up first.
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which → slow → bridges
Be aware that while a main road may be plowed, merging lanes or off-ramps may take longer to have ice, snow or slush removed.
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ice → plow → ?
And don’t pass a snowplow as it is dangerous for you and the plow driver.
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it → pass → you
“That is not a good idea,” Cragg said.
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Cragg → say → ?
He said you should also keep in mind that the posted speed limit on highways and roads is for optimal weather conditions.
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limit → say → conditions
If the weather worsens, then driving below the speed limit is okay because you are driving according to the conditions.
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you → worsen → conditions
“The other thing we talk about is space and time,” he said.
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he → talk → ?
“A lot of drivers don’t give themselves enough space in front of their vehicles and they like to tailgate.”
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they → give → vehicles
In optimum conditions, you need to have about two seconds between you and the vehicle ahead of you to be able to safely brake in the city, Cragg said.
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Cragg → need → city
That number should be doubled in winter conditions, to four seconds in the city, to have the time and space to stop, he said.
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he → double → time
“Should something happen in front of you, you need that extra space and time to slow down, try to stop, get out of the way,” he said.
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he → happen → way
If you are being tailgated and can’t make a lane change or let them pass you, he said you should increase you distance from the car you are following even more.
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you → tailgate → car
“You are solving the problem for the tailgater; you are giving them more time and space to slow down as well.”
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you → solve → time
Prepare your vehicle
Cragg said one of the things that Young Drivers of Canada covers in its classes is the importance of winter tires.
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Drivers → prepare → tires
He said a lot of people assume all-season tires are good enough, but it is the temperature, not the ice and snow, that will affect your tires the most.
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that → say → tires
“When the temperature drops below 7 C, rubber on an all-season tire gets harder and harder.
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rubber → drop → tire
As the rubber starts to harden as the temperature drops, your tire actually loses traction,” he said.
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he → start → traction
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
