(Radio Iowa) – With wicked winter weather pushing wind chills as low as 40-below zero this (Friday) morning, Iowans are being warned if they don’t absolutely need to go out, to stay home. If you decide to brave the roads and your vehicle somehow slides into a ditch, Brian Ortner at Triple-A-Iowa, offers a few suggestions on staying safe in the extreme cold. “Stay in your car, keep it running, have that heat inside to keep you warm,” Ortner says. “Turn your hazard lights on to increase your visibility. Call for help, obviously with your phone, share your GPS location and even, hopefully before you leave, tell somebody where you’re going and let people know that you’re on your way.” While your life may depend on keeping the car warm, Ortner says it’s likely best if you don’t leave the engine running.

“Do run it sparingly. Don’t let it run continuously. Let it run for about 10 to 15 minutes. Crack a window for ventilation, and layer clothing,” Ortner says. “Have that emergency pack in your car. Make sure you have blankets and coats and most importantly, have a portable charger for your phone.” If your car won’t start in this morning’s frigid weather, your battery may have been taxed to the point it can no longer do its job. “Even in the cold, you can try to give it a jump start. That’s going to be your best bet to get the car up and rolling again,” Ortner says, “but more than likely, with the work your battery’s been doing in this weather, your battery may need a replacement.”

The motor club spokesman offers one other nugget of advice for motorists during this bitter cold spell: “Make sure if you do have to go out, that your gas tank is full,” Ortner says. “Don’t let that gas tank drop below a quarter of a tank, because if you do and you are stranded, having that full tank of gas will help keep your car running and keep you in that warmth for as long as possible until help arrives.”

Winter weather can be deadly. A report from the U.S. Department of Transportation says each year, an average of 1,300 people are killed and 116,000 are injured in crashes on snowy or icy pavement.