- Thousands of people were trapped on I-95 in Virginia for more than 24 hours after a snowstorm.
- A search-and-rescue expert shared how motorists could survive being out in frigid conditions.
- Stranded drivers should eat any food they have and bundle close with each other, the expert said.
Thousands of drivers were trapped on a stretch of I-95 in northern Virginia for more than 24 hours after several tractor-trailers crashed during a snow storm.
Weathering those conditions is something most people could do "successfully without much pain as long as you stay warm," according to Chris Boyer, the executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue.
People trapped on the road should make sure their exhaust pipe is not covered by the ice or snow if they plan to keep their vehicle running to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, Boyer said.
"If the snow is deep enough they can't get out, their tailpipe's probably clogged, so they need to turn the engine off," Boyer said. He recommended keeping the windows to the car cracked slightly, but for drivers to "try to stay bundled up and warm."
Boyer told Insider that survival on the highway would become more difficult after 24 hours, because there would be less food and people would need to get out of their cars to go to the bathroom.
"So now you're getting cold and freezing and refreezing kind of becomes a thing," Boyer said. "That's an issue."
For people still stranded on I-95, Boyer said "the biggest frustration will be they don't know when the police are going to get there to help them out." He added that it's best for motorists stuck in their cars to conserve their cell phone power as much as possible so that they can contact the police if needed.
Marcie Parker, District Engineer for Virginia Department of Transportation, told reporters on Tuesday that cars on I-95 were trapped with four inches of ice under their wheels. Parker said she expects all vehicles to be removed from the road by Tuesday evening and before Wednesday morning rush hour.
Boyer told Insider that people stranded on the highway need food, water, and coverings like blankets or jackets, and that they need to run their vehicles periodically to keep warm until help arrives. He suggested that people stuck on the road bundle together for warmth and eat whatever food they have, because "calories start to get low" after 24 hours.
Susan Phalen, a driver who was trapped on I-95, shared her experience on the road on Twitter, saying that what drivers "need is drone delivered pizzas" and that she was worried for the elderly drivers who were stuck.
—Susan Phalen (@SAPOTUS) January 4, 2022
Truckers trapped on the road have been sharing food and supplies with other drivers who are also stranded, but many have said they were running low. One truck driver previously told Insider that some drivers keep food and water on hand specifically for situations when the highway gets shut down.