A New York man is lucky to be alive after his car slid off the road, burying him under several feet of snow in a freezing car.

Slippery roadways are just one of the risks drivers face during a snowstorm, as one New York driver discovered the hard way. An older gentleman (his name was not provided by the New York State Police) was driving along Route 17C in Owego Thursday morning when his car went off the roadway. The situation was made even worse as plows passed by, further burying his vehicle.

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The man was able to place several calls to 911, but emergency services were unable to locate the vehicle - now entirely obscured by feet of snow.

Sargent Cawley of the New York State Police was one of the officers sent to help find the man, but was also unable to find him. "While patrolling, Sgt. Cawley saw what appeared to be a row of mailboxes and waded through the snow to check the addresses. While digging, he hit the windshield of a car and inside was the subject who had been making 911 calls," the NYS Police announced on Facebook.

Credit: NYS Troopers
Credit: NYS Troopers
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Stranded for more than 10 hours, with no heat due to a broken serpentine belt, the man was suffering from hypothermia and frostbite. He was removed from the vehicle and taken to Lourdes Hospital for treatment.
There's no doubt that the actions of Sargent Jason Cawley of Troop C saved this man's life.
Credit: NYS Troopers
Credit: NYS Troopers
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You never know when you could find yourself in a similar situation in Central New York, so make sure you have an emergency kit in your vehicle.

  • Keep a basic winter survival kit in your vehicle: flashlight, batteries, blanket, snacks, water, gloves, boots, first-aid kit.
  • Load your car with winter travel gear: tire chains, ice scraper/snowbrush, jumper cables, road flares.

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