What to keep in a car emergency kit
Most of us spend hours a week in the car, and that is often where trouble finds us: a breakdown, a closed road, or getting stranded in bad weather. A small trunk kit turns those from scary into manageable.
Keep these year-round
- Jumper cables or a portable jump pack.
- Flashlight or headlamp, with spare batteries.
- A basic first aid kit.
- Water and a few non-perishable snacks.
- A phone charging cable and a charged power bank.
- Reflective triangles or flares, and a reflective vest, so you are visible.
- A working spare tire with the jack, or a can of tire sealant, and a tire gauge.
- A multi-tool, duct tape, gloves, paper towels, and trash bags.
- A little cash.
Add for winter
- A warm blanket, hat, and gloves.
- An ice scraper and a small shovel.
- Sand or cat litter for traction, and hand warmers.
If you get stranded
Stay with your vehicle. It is shelter, and it is far easier for help to find than a person walking. Run the engine only occasionally for heat, crack a window, and in snow make sure the exhaust pipe is clear so carbon monoxide cannot back up into the car. Put on your hazards and make yourself visible.
Keep it ready
The water, snacks, batteries, and any medications in your car kit will expire, and heat makes it worse. Check it a couple of times a year and swap out anything past date, so it works when you finally need it.
Quick checklist
- Jump pack, light, first aid, water, and snacks.
- Power bank, multi-tool, gloves, and cash.
- Spare tire or sealant, reflective triangles, and a vest.
- Winter: blanket, scraper, shovel, traction, hand warmers.
- If stranded, stay with the car. Rotate supplies twice a year.