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SALT LAKE CITY — As multiple nights of frigid low temperatures loom in the week before Christmas, the Utah Highway Patrol cautioned drivers to make the extra effort to be prepared in the event cars become stalled, stuck or stranded.
"There's no reason not to think ahead," said trooper Cody Ohlau.
Among the items troopers were telling drivers to consider having in their cars with them at all times were: extra blankets or coats, a flashlight, tools for potential auto repairs and reflective vests.
"If you keep a reflective vest in your car, (other) vehicles can see you," Ohlau said.
He also said it is always important to travel with a charged cellphone.
"It is not a good idea to be driving around without a phone," Ohlau said. "Today, I had a car that I stopped on, their phone was dead and so they didn't have a way to call for help. They were just sitting there on the side of the road."
Ohlau also urged people not to cut it too close when their fuel gauges read low, to make sure spare tires have air in them in the event of flats, and to generally be prepared.
"Take an extra 10 seconds to grab a coat out of the closet before you take off," Ohlau said.
