Preparation
A good place to start is by making sure you're prepared. This can include:
Making sure your car is stocked with a winter survival kit, including an ice scraper, snow shovel, jumper cables, gloves, hat, blanket, flashlight, water, first-aid kit, and road salt.
Checking your tires to see if it's time to replace them or not. Or to see if you need snow tires. That too.
Check your windshield wipers and try to keep them in good condition. It may also be a good idea to make sure your windshield fluid reservoir is filled so you can clear clear snow and ice from your windshield. I've never actually used windshield fluid to do that before, but it seems legit.
Make it a practice to keep your gas tank filled so that you can run your engine and stay warm if you get stuck or stranded. Also, you can preheat your car before you have to go somewhere so that you aren't freezing for the first five minutes of your trip. Keeping your gas tank full can also help reduce the amount of water vapor in your tank, which can freeze when temperatures drop.
Make sure your vehicle(s) are in good working order by servicing them regularly.
Consider keeping your vehicle in a garage and use fueling additives such as dry gas, whatever that is, to help eliminate water vapor that could freeze in your gas lines, which would probably be a bad thing.
You should also either drive or run your car in a well-ventilated area (emphisis on well-ventilated, as death by asphixiation would be unpleasant at best) at least every few days to help avoid a dead battery. Speaking from personal experience, this is definitely a good idea.
Watch the Weather
This may seem like an obvious one, and that's because it is. If you're planning to travel when inclement weather looms (so, basically at any time during winter) you can monitor road and weather conditions by checking your local news station and internet traffic and weather websites. You can also sign up for weather alerts or to receive text messages and optional alerts for your area. If all else fails, you can also look out your window. It should also be noted that you should avoid checking your phone while driving, as that would be bad and dangerous.
Driving in Winter Conditions
As for the actual driving part, some good tips to follow are:
Before leaving the driveway or parking lot, take time to clear away snow and ice off your car, preferably including the windows, mirrors, lights, reflectors, hood, roof, and trunk. It's also a good idea to make sure the tailpipe is clear before sitting in a running vehilcle.
Drive with your headlights on and be sure to keep them clean to improve visibility, both so that you can see where you're going and other people can see you.
Don't rush and leave with plenty of time to get to your destination. Driving slowly will help prevent any accidents.
Use caution when snow banks limit your view of oncoming traffic.
As you get on the road, remember that speed limits are meant for dry roads, not roads covered in snow and ice. You should reduce your speed and increase your following distance as road conditions and visibility worsen.
Avoid using cruise control in snowy or icy conditions -- you want as much control over your car as possible.
Be cautious on bridges and overpasses as they are commonly the first areas to become icy.
Don't follow snow plows too closely, stay at least five car lengths behind. Avoid passing snow plows and sand trucks because the drivers may have limited visibility and the road in front of them could be worse than the road behind.
We hope you've found these tips helpful. For even more tips on what to do if stranded while driving in winter, feel free to visit our page on that!