This guide will come in 4 parts.
Preparing for Winter
Winter Emergency Kits
Driving in Snow/Ice
Unexpected Problems
Part 1: Preparing for Winter or: What the hell is all this white stuff?
Up here in the northern climes, each year starting anywhere from early October to the middle of November, it starts to get cold. Often really cold. We get snow, slush, ice, rain, freezing temperatures, blizzards and occasionally The Wendigo. The first 6 are easy to deal with because we expect them, and know they are coming. This gives us the option of preparing for them in advance. When it comes to your vehicle, there are a few things you should do. These should be done normally, but are doubly important in winter.
Winterize your vehicle
Basics
-Tires: Make sure they are inflated to the correct pressure. Inspect them to make sure they have enough tread. Make sure they are not damaged. This is also a good place to discuss winter tires. I get asked all the time if winter tires are worth it. The answer is totally, unequivocally YES. They make a HUGE difference. Gigantic. Not only do they give you the traction you require to get moving, but they help you stop as well. There's even a handy illustrated picture from the government of Ontario that shows it. They really do make a difference, and are well, WELL worth it.

-Fuel: Keep your gas tank full. Yes I know this is a pain in the butt. Do it anyway. Top it off every 2 days or as soon as it hits 3/4 of a tank (Half tank at the BARE minimum) Having a full tanks helps you avoid fuel line freeze and you never know if you will be stranded by a storm. If you are you will be happy you had the gas to stay warm for the extra hours. You also never know when there is going to be an outbreak of Zombies, and you might need to skip town. If you do you'll be happy you had a full tank of gas.
-Belts and hoses: Inspect them or have them inspected. They're more likely to fail in the cold.
-Oil change/coolant: They make oil that is suitable for operating at lower temperatures. Same goes for your antifreeze. Purchase the correct product for your area, and use it. You will avoid damaging your vehicle and the small extra cost now is far better than thousands of dollars in repairs later.
-Wipers: 1) Make sure you have good, working Windshield Wipers. 2) Make sure you have good, working, windshield wipers. Yes I know I repeated myself. It bears repeating. Many lives have been lost because some poor fool didn't want to spend $12 on a new pair of wipers. When driving in winter conditions, slush spray is a problem. You're on the highway and a truck passes you, it's going to throw slush onto your windshield. If you follow too close to another car, you'll get slushed. You can hit a big puddle and slush yourself. The only answer to this is good windshield wipers, and LOTS of wiper fluid. The value of being able to actually see out your windshield is immense. If you do not believe me, try hitting a pole or two and then get back to me.
I prefer flat blade wipers because the ice and snow won't build up on them the same way it does on conventional ones. That said, normal ones work well too when you clean the snow off them. So long as they work well (By fully cleaning the window in conjunction with washer fluid) then you're set. Be aware that if you do not fully clean the windshield off with a scraper before using the wipers, the chunks of clinging ice will shred the hell out of your wipers.