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Visiting protected areas requires a private vehicle. A pre-departure checklist is essential, including vehicle maintenance and supplies, especially in winter. Ensure to park safely and legally, lock the vehicle, and secure valuables. Upon return, check the vehicle’s condition before driving home.

Public transit to Protected Areas is not an option. While you might get an Uber driver to drop you off in the middle of nowhere, good luck with ordering a return trip. In other words, visiting a site means driving there in a private vehicle.

Policy References: Personal Vehicle and Driving Policy.

1. Before Driving
   1. Weather and Conditions
   2. Pre-Departure Checklist (All Seasons)
   3. Pre-Departure Checklist (Winter)
2. Driving There
3. Arriving and Parking the Vehicle
4. Leaving the Vehicle
5. Returning to the Vehicle and Driving Home

Before Driving

Develop a checklist for your vehicle before starting off. Beyond SAPAA, this is a good idea particularly if leaving an urban area during the winter.

Weather and Conditions

The best laid plans of mice and met are set asunder… Adapted from Robert Burns, “To a Mouse”, 1785.

Careful planning are nothing as compared to a sudden snowstorm, freezing rain, or a wildfire. Conditions can change quickly, more so in the mountain areas. Adjust or cancel the Site Visit accordingly.

Pre-Departure Checklist (All Seasons)

Please see the following page detailed pre-departure checklists. The following provides general guidance.

The Route and Environment:

• Checked a recent weather forecast, modify or cancelling the trip as required.
• Consider the time of day travelling to and from sites (e.g. sun glare at sunrise and sunset, nighttime driving).
• Consider schedules, distance, and timing of the trip.
• Plan for the type of road the vehicle will travel on (e.g. highway, country roads, dirt-gravel roads), the competence of the driver and suitability of the vehicle).
• Route plan with alternatives in case of road closures.
• Potential for wildlife on the road.
• Any known risk associated with the route (e.g. high collision areas, roads with heavy traffic, construction zones)

The vehicle:

• Is in good repair and recently maintained.
• Lights (including brake and indicator) are in working order.
• Is currently registered and insured.
• Has a first aid kit and emergency supplies for the season.

The Driver:

• Knows where they are going, and informed someone of expected return time.
• If travelling by themselves, has a ‘Check In Buddy’ they are in contact with periodically while travelling.
• Has access to satellite communications if travelling to areas outside of reliable cell service.

Pre-Departure Checklist (Winter)

The vehicle:

• Has winter tires.
• Emergency overnight equipment: blanket/sleeping bag, extra water, food.
• Water (in plastic bottles so they won’t break if frozen; change every six months).
• Blanket, Extra clothing and shoes.
• First aid kit, Seatbelt cutter.
• Small shovel, scraper and snow brush.
• Candle in a deep can and matches, Whistle.
• Road maps, Flashlight (battery-powered or crank), Radio (battery-powered or crank).
• Booster cables and tow rope, Fire extinguisher, Warning light or road flares.
• Sand, salt or cat litter (non-clumping), Antifreeze and windshield washer fluid.

Driving There

The Driver:

• Has a current license and permitted to have passengers in the vehicle (as applicable).
• Is rested and comfortable in the operation of the vehicle (e.g. if the vehicle is a rental).
• Programmed in the destination in the vehicle’s built in (or add on) navigation unit.
• Monitor’s the vehicle for problems (e.g. a flat tire) or servicing.
• Takes breaks on long trips to remain alert and refreshed.
• If necessary, trades off driving with others permitted to operate the vehicle.
• Is not impaired while operating the vehicle.

The Passenger(s):

• Can assist with navigation particularly if the vehicle lacks a programmable GPS.
• Wearing seat belts at all times.

Arriving and Parking the Vehicle

Select a safe place to leave the vehicle that will not obstruct traffic.

• The most recent Drivers Guides, p. 56 from the Alberta Government have this to say about parking on the shoulder of a rural road, Do not park your vehicle:
  • On a roadway outside an urban area, do not park:
    • on the roadway, parking lane, or shoulder of a primary highway except
      where: your vehicle is incapable of moving under its own power, an emergency arises, or it is permitted by law.
  • unless there is a clear passage for other motor vehicles, and
  • your vehicle can be seen for 60 metres (200 feet) along the roadway in both directions.
• Ideally, park in a roadside turn out or an unused drive way.
  • If the driveway is of a residence, ask permission (the resident may be moving machinery which can be very hard on your side mirrors!).
• Check and see what cellphone coverage you have when you arrive at your site.

Leaving the Vehicle

• Double (or quintuple) check that the vehicle is locked AND you have the keys.
• With a group, announce where the keys are located in case you are incapacitated (e.g. keys are in the top pocket of my pack).
• Confirm the vehicle meets any legal parking requirements (e.g. visible, does not obstruct traffic).
• Lock the vehicle and keep valuables out of sight. Most locations are remote and seldom traveled but rural crime is a fact of life.

Returning to the Vehicle and Driving Home

• Check the condition of the vehicle, for example, if you picked up a nail in a tire it may not be deflated for hours… or just when you are cold, tired, and want to go home!
• Before driving, ensure all belongings have been gathered (e.g. a pack that ‘almost’ made it into the vehicle’s trunk).

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Board Approval / Last Revision Date	[DATE] / [DATE]
Board Role Accountable	[POSITION] / [EMAIL]
Applies to:	All SAPAA Volunteers