Prepare for the oncoming winter weather by packing an emergency safety kit to keep inside your vehicle. With the right tools inside, you’ll be ready for any contingency on the road. Here are a few helpful suggestions.
Clothing and Blankets
Make sure you and your passengers will stay warm if your vehicle breaks down during the winter and you don’t have any heat. You might already be wearing your winter coat and gloves, but consider keeping items like a wool hat and boots in the car. This will help you to avoid losing body heat from your head and extremities.
Another good item to keep in the kit is a blanket, preferably of the thermal variety. While you may never need it, it’s an indispensable tool if you need to protect yourself from the cold while you’re waiting for roadside assistance.
Tools for Your Car
If your car breaks down, you might not be able to fix it yourself on the spot, but some problems can be resolved with relatively little hassle. Pack jumper cables in your winter kit so you can resurrect a dead battery, and keep a portable electric tire air pump and foam tire sealant to temporarily remedy any flat tires. Keeping a flashlight handy is also a good idea so that you can see what you’re doing.
We also suggest packing a bag of cat litter or sand; if you’re stuck on the ice, this can give you the traction you need to get going.
Snacks and First Aid
Pack some non-perishable food items into your winter emergency kit, such as granola bars, dried fruit, or nuts. If you end up waiting a long time for assistance, you’ll be glad for the extra sustenance — especially in the cold. If you’re traveling with children, this will help by giving them something else to focus on, too.
Another must-have item is a first aid kit. If you get into an accident and are waiting for emergency help, you can treat minor scrapes and cuts with the items from this kit. Most kits also come with safety pins and tweezers, which can be useful in many situations.
Entertainment
This isn’t the most pressing item on the list, but it can make a difference if you’re stuck on the side of the road for a while. Keeping yourself entertained will take your mind off of the discomfort and inconvenience that comes with a winter emergency. Your entertainment kit can be as a simple as a pack of cards or as elaborate as a tablet or video game system.
Be sure to charge electronic devices periodically so that they’re ready when you need them. Since most drivers already carry a mobile phone with them, consider keeping some music or other entertainment on your phone, too.
Thinking ahead and packing these items into your car will ensure you’re fully prepared for the worst that winter can bring. Hopefully, you’ll never need your emergency kit, but if you do, you’ll be glad you packed it in advance.
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