4Runner Helps Keep Woman Alive for 6 Days in the Wild!
Driver stayed alive by periodically turning on heat and using floor mats as blankets.
After six days of searching, authorities finally located an elderly California woman who had been trapped in her Toyota 4Runner in the snow. According to the Daily Mail, 68-year old Paula Beth James has dementia and went missing the evening of Jan. 9 in Oroville, California. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office soon issued an alert and spent roughly 100 hours searching for James using helicopters and snowmobiles.
After five days of searching in wind storms and heavy snowfall, her family had nearly given up hope. But with more white-out conditions on the horizon, rescuers found James’ silver SUV in the nick of time. When they reached her, they found her alive and conscious dressed in only jeans and a jacket. James had run the heat in the SUV’s cabin periodically and had covered herself in floor mats to survive.
Luckily, her 4Runner was able to keep her warm enough until rescuers arrived.
It Can Happen to Anyone
While James was fortunate enough to survive in the snow for nearly a week, she still suffered frostbite and severe dehydration. Medics immediately rushed her to the hospital for treatment. If you live in an area with harsh winter conditions, it’s crucial to realize you could land in a similar situation. Blizzards can rapidly move into an area, and those with winds exceeding 35 miles per hour can reduce visibility to less than a quarter-mile. This white-out can last for several hours, burying cars and leaving you stranded. Therefore, it’s essential to prepare for this dangerous situation before it happens.
Winterizing Your Toyota
It’s important to winterize your Toyota. Even if you have a four-wheel-drive drive like Paula, you can become stuck in snowdrifts if you don’t prepare your car for icy, snowy conditions. One way you can do this is by getting a suspension kit to increase your ride height. This feature will give you more ground clearance, allowing you to drive through deeper snow without becoming trapped. You’ll also want to purchase larger, rougher tires to support your vehicle’s new height and keep it balanced.
You may also decide to add rocker guards if you plan to do any serious off-roading. These prevent the underside of your car from debris and rough terrain like icy snow piles. And while you’re at it, add some extra side or rear lighting to help you see in low visibility conditions, especially in the evening. Remember to use your low-beam lights instead of the high beams if you find yourself driving across the snow, and replace your windshield wipers once a year.
Upgrade to Something New
The 2020 4Runner has a lot of these upgrades already done. For starters, it has the newest and best safety package to date. This includes a Pre-Collision system, Lane Departure Alert, Sway Warnings, Auto High Means, and more to keep you on the road in the first place. If you do end up in the snow, the 2WD model has Automatic Limited Slip Differential that can help you get out of slippery terrain. Active Traction Control can distribute force to any given wheel, greatly improving traction in rough areas. Plus, it has Crawl Control that helps you navigate slow-speed situations, which is great for going down a steep icy hill.
No matter what kind of 4Runner you have, get it ready for whatever the weather throws at you. With preparation and a little luck, you can survive the toughest winter storm, just like Paula — although let’s hope you never have to.
Photos: Daily Mail; Toyota