Roadside Safety Guides › Winter Safety
Surviving a lake-effect breakdown — not just a generic “winter driving tips” list.
Lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan can dump a foot of snow on Benton Harbor and St. Joseph while inland areas twenty miles away see almost nothing. Bands of intense, localized snowfall can turn a clear drive into a whiteout in minutes, especially near the lakeshore. That unpredictability is exactly why breakdowns here need a different playbook than generic “winter driving” advice.
We handle winch-out recoveries constantly through the winter, especially along Red Arrow Highway and the rural roads around Benton Heights and Fair Plain. If you slide off the road: stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on, turn on hazard lights, and don’t attempt to rock the car out yourself if you’re anywhere near live traffic — spinning wheels can dig you in deeper and gas exhaust can build up if the tailpipe is blocked by snow.
If you’re waiting in a running vehicle, periodically check that snow hasn’t blocked the tailpipe — a blocked exhaust can let carbon monoxide build up inside the cabin, which is a real and serious risk during a Michigan snowstorm wait. Crack a window slightly for airflow if you’re running the engine for heat.
Cold weather is the single biggest cause of dead batteries — a battery that’s marginal in summer often fails outright once temperatures drop. If your car struggles to start on a cold morning, don’t wait for it to fully die; a jump-start call now is faster and cheaper than a full breakdown later. Southwest Michigan’s freeze-thaw cycles near the lake are especially hard on older batteries.
A light dusting you can clear with a scraper and a bit of patience is a DIY situation. A vehicle stuck in a ditch, snowbank, or deep unplowed snow — especially anywhere near I-94 or M-139 during an active storm — is a call-for-help situation. Don’t risk walking along an unplowed highway shoulder in a whiteout to flag someone down; stay with the vehicle and call.
Longer than a clear-weather call — see our ETA guide for what affects wait times during severe weather.
Yes, as long as the tailpipe is clear of snow and a window is cracked slightly for ventilation. Check the tailpipe periodically if snow is actively falling.
Call (269) 925-9573 — we run winch-outs all winter, 24/7.