By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – It’s that time of year — time to get the car, and perhaps your teen driver, ready for the winter. But because this is 2016, there’s an app for that.

The Winter Survival Kit app from North Dakota State University (NDSU) has most of the same information as every other winter car prep list: Make sure you put a hat, gloves, blanket, some food, water, batteries, a shovel, and some kitty litter in your car.

But the app notifies loved ones and even the police if you break down or slide off into a ditch, according to Becky Koch, agriculture communication director with NDSU.

“It really takes the fear out, we hope,” Koch said. “You can hit one button that sends a text out to your contact that says, ‘I’m stranded, but I’m OK.’”

Koch said the app also can calculate how much gasoline you have to run the engine and stay warm and even alerts you when to get warm.

Koch said the app is very popular with parents of young drivers.

“We’ve become so dependent on our computers and phones that it is great as an education opportunity, especially for young people who haven’t had to be in charge of their own winter survival kit in their car,” Koch said.

The app is free and available for Androids and iPhones.