You hope it would never happen to you, but emergencies involving your car are possible. And it’s better to be prepared for them and mitigate if not outright remove the problem rather than be helpless.
Here is a list of 29 important items you should have in your car emergency kit and what makes them so important.
1. Booster cables
Booster cables are a no-brainer. If for whatever reason your car battery dies any nearby vehicle can bring it back to life with a quick boost meaning the difference between being stranded for minutes or hours.
2. Phone charger
So long as your car battery is still alive you can provide a bit of juice to your phone that could allow you to make a critical call that saves you.
3. Folding shovel
Skid off into a ditch? Stuck in snow or mud? Your trusty shovel is here to rescue you. And by having a folding variant you can save room in your car emergency kit for other essential items.
4. Sand/Kitty litter
If you’re stuck in a patch of ice in the winter the sand or kitty litter can help your wheels gain traction and help you on your way. But it can also help absorb spills like battery acid leakage during an accident.
5. Fire extinguisher
Stop fires from getting out of hand with a fire extinguisher. But make sure you have practice with one prior to using one in an emergency. You’ll find that controlling a fire extinguisher isn’t as easy as it looks and the spray lasts a lot shorter than you’d think.
6. First aid kit
This one just makes sense. While it doesn’t replace professional medical attention, in the case of an emergency it can provide temporary relief and mean the difference between life and death.
7. Self-powered flashlight
Emergencies can happen at any time and there’s few things worse than being unable to access your situation. Many modern flashlights are small but still powerful so you don’t have an excuse not to include it in your car emergency kit.
8. Protein bars
Being stranded for extended periods of time can be uncomfortable. Having a snack or two may help you concentrate as your blood sugar goes down.
9. Water
Whether it’s in a bottle or jug by having a clean source of water you can stay hydrated in an emergency where you risk being stranded.
10. Warm blankets
This is another item that can be helpful if you’re stranded in a cold environment. Conserving body heat at night or during freezing conditions can make your situation more comfortable or even survivable.
11. Caution triangle
This is especially useful whenever you need to stop along the side of the road. By marking your vehicle off other drivers can avoid you much more easily.
12. Work gloves
Sometimes repairing a vehicle can be messy or dangerous. Gloves will keep your hands safe and clean.
13. Duct tape
For short-term repairs duct tape is usually durable enough to keep things together until a professional can take a look.
14. Ice scraper
More applicable for those living in snowy conditions. Having this around ensure that your windshield and lights aren’t going to be frosted over when driving.
15. Hand warmers.
Another key emergency kit item for winter drivers, Frozen hands and feet are not pleasant and neither is the possibility of frostbite.
16. Multi-tool
Bringing along a toolbox can be cumbersome and bulky. But a single multi-tool can provide most of the functionality at a fraction of the space.
17. Tow strap
Anyone who has ever been stuck in a ditch knows how annoying it is to see cars offer but be unable to pull you out. Keeping a tow strap allows you to get pulled out or pull someone else,
18. Glow sticks
I know you might be thinking why would you want glow sticks when you already have a flash light? Simply put, these function the same as the caution triangle but at night. Illuminating the area around your car makes it safer for you and other drivers,
19. Glass hammer
If you ever get trapped in your vehicle and can’t get the door open this is where the glass hammer comes in. This hammer allows you to easily break a window and quickly escape.
20. Seat belt cutter
Same principle as the glass hammer. If you’re trapped in your car and can’t get the seat belt off this will allow you to quickly and safely free yourself.
21. Tire repair kit
Sometimes the damage to your tires can be temporarily patched up, allowing you to safely drive off as opposed to sitting around and waiting for a tow truck or similar service.
22. Whistle
If you’re stranded or trapped somewhere an automatic response is to call for help. Unfortunately, human voices don’t travel very far or are very loud even when we’re well-rested. A whistle fixes all those problems and better allows you to alert others to your location.
23. Flare
For the truly stranded or in desperately in need of getting attention a flare works in both day and night and will bring people to your location in a heartbeat.
24. Survival guide
This car emergency kit item is more for your mental health. By simply having something to read and reassure you in how to deal with an emergency can calm you down and focus on important tasks at hand.
25. Safety vest
Another visibility item. If you’re stuck on the side of the road or are in an accident, you want to make sure other drivers can see and avoid you regardless of the time of day.
26. Baby wipes
Emergencies can be messy and it’s nice to have a portable and compact way to quickly and easily clean up. Hand sanitizer is also a valid option.
27. Batteries
Whether it’s for your flashlight or other electronic device you may have with you, it doesn’t hurt to have batteries of different types in your car emergency kit.
28. Trash bags
For quick clean up or even temporary storage garbage bags are compact and can serve a number of functions including acting as a makeshift tarp.
29. Rain poncho
Not everyone risks being stuck in the snow, sometimes people also have emergencies in the rain. A poncho will keep you nice and dry while you get things sorted out. No two emergency kits will be the same, but by having the most or all of the aforementioned items you can feel confident that you’ll be able to handle nearly any emergency that you might encounter while in a vehicle.