Winter Precautions

By:  Rob Baquera, Public Information Officer, Roseville Police Department

The new year brings new resolutions and opportunities for change. Winter in the Sierra Foothills and Sacramento Valley can cause a variety of weather conditions. It is always best to take precautions when driving, but also be sure to be prepared in any situation.

Keep Yourself Safe at Home:

• Check your home’s heating system; ensure smoke detectors and carbon monoxide systems are working properly.
• Keep an emergency “go bag” in case you need to suddenly leave at a moment’s notice. Many emergency kits include canned foods, water, cellphone charger, extra batteries, first-aid kits, extra medicine, baby items (if applicable), etc. Ready.gov provides some helpful tips on how to start and maintain a kit.
• Check windows, fence lines, and security systems for tampering.

Keep Yourself Safe When Driving:

• Park your car in a safe, well-lit area or inside your garage if possible.
• Keep your gas tank full and regularly check your tire tread and tire pressure. Running out of gas or bad tires and poor weather conditions can lead to car accidents. Safe driving is always a top priority.
• Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle in case anything happens, or you need to pull to the side of the road. Having a portable charger, extra batteries, flares, booster cables, a tire pump, compass and map, flashlight, and battery-powered radio could help emergency responders get to you more quickly. CHP has some recommendations on some basic kit items for a roadside emergency kit, including some nice-to-have extras.

Keep Yourself Safe Outdoors:

• Wear appropriate outdoor clothing for the weather – our weather changes from morning to afternoon to evening. Pack a jacket in case the weather changes or have a spare change of socks in the car in case it gets cold.
• If going to a new place for the first time, or meeting someone new, let a friend or relative know when and where you will be. Share your destination and who you will be meeting in case anything happens people know where you should be.
• Make sure when you head out for the day that your cellphone is fully charged or that you have a backup option to charge your cellphone.

Staying safe in the winter is more than just scraping ice off our windshield or driving with low beams on a foggy morning. Keeping ourselves safe at home, when we’re out driving, and when we’re traveling are all important ways to protect our families.