There was no definite end in sight for drivers stuck in the multiple accident pileup on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Friday morning. The wrecks involved as many as 100 vehicles and left hundreds of other cars stuck at a standstill for more than seven hours.
AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman Jim Lardear offered tips to drivers on how to keep themselves and their cars safe when stuck in traffic for long periods of time.
Conserve Energy
The first and most important thing for motorist to do to stay safe out there is to conserve fuel and their car's battery life.
Don't leave your vehicle running constantly; let it run for 3-5 minutes at a time to warm up the interior and conserve fuel.
Limit the use of accessories that may be plugged up in the vehicle, such as laptops or cell phones that could drain car batteries. Never leave home without a fully charged cell phone.
Be Alert
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While every scenario is different, typically the safest place for drivers to be is in their vehicle with their seat belt fastened. In this situation, where people are stuck in traffic for hours, they may want to get out and walk around but they need to be aware of their surroundings. There may be emergency crews trying to pass by them.
Check your car for emergency items
Making sure that you have things in your car when you leave the house, a snack, water bottles, a blanket or a warm coat for example, is very important. You might have just run out of the house planning to get into a warm car or to walk into a warm office and you may not have dressed for the weather, but you need to have stuff that's gonna keep you warm in situations like this.
Look around for extra sweaters, coats and blankets in the car that can help keep you warm while you wait.
