Preparing the perfect car emergency kit is the best way to make sure that you’re prepared in case there is an emergency where you are stranded in your car or you are using it as shelter. Starting a car emergency kit checklist will help clarify what items will be the most important to you if you become stranded.
Additionally, accidents do happen during day to day driving, so this kit will help you prepare for those moments as well. Building the proper kit will also allow you to help others by being able to signal to other dangers that you are having a problem so that they are able to drive more cautiously, which will avoid a second accident from occurring. As a precaution, we recommend that you always have a tank of gas that is more than half full, and that you are always cognizant of your fuel level. Running out of fuel while on the road is very preventable, but if you do run out while on the road, you put yourself in a dangerous situation as you never know where you’re going to be when this happens or where the closest aid will be.
Starting Your Car Emergency Kit List
You’ll want to start your kit by making a list of the items you’ll need to aquire. Start with some auto basics that will come in handy. This includes: jumper cables, flares, an ice scraper, a phone charger, blanket, map or portable GPS, and cat litter. You could also include a towing strap, hand crank radio, and antifreeze. You will want jumper cables that are at least 10 feet long. These are the only way to fix your dead battery. You can watch videos on YouTube to understand how these work more comprehensively, but the gist of using jumper cables is first connecting positive and negative posts of the dead battery. You clamp the positive post on the working battery and the negative on yours. Then, you can start the working car’s engine and let it idle. When the dead car strats, you can disconnect the clamps and make sure it keeps running.
A fire extinguisher is another important thing to have, as cars can catch on fire quite easily in the event of a collision. It’s important that your extinguisher is rated for Class B and C fires, and that you know how to use it properly. This is also great to have if you ever need to sleep in your car while bugging out or on long excursions.
Also know where your spare tire is located in case you have no choice but to change it yourself. You might also want to get a tire inflator spray such as Fix a Flat. These sprays can patch spots in tires and inflate them back up until you are in a safe place to change it. In emergency situations, auto repair services will not be available and you will have to take matters into your own hands, so these tools should help you be prepared to do so.
Cat litter can actually come in very handy, as it can get your car out of a tough spot if you are stuck in a snowbank or on the road and your car can’t get traction. You can open the cat litter and pour it around your tires and your car will be able to grip the litter and get out of the spot. If you keep the litter bag in the back of your car, it can also help you get traction by weighing down the back of the car and stabilizing it, as these bags are often pretty heavy.
Reflective Triangles are another important element of your survival kit that many overlook. These triangles make it clear to oncoming traffic and personnel that there is an emergency situation on the other side of the road. This could encourage people to drive more slowly or use more caution overall which could end up saving your life. A rescue whistle is also a great addition, as they’re very cheap and compact but can be incredibly loud, even reaching miles away from you. This will help signal your presence to rescuers or others on the road.
It will also be important to have some personal safety tools in your survival kit. These include toiletries, chargers, a sleeping bag, and warm clothing. Toiletries such as wet wipes and deodorant will be important for sanitation purposes if you are stranded for a long time. A sleeping bag, as well as a change of clothes and a wool blanket, will also be helpful as temperatures drop at night and you will have a harder time falling asleep if you’re freezing. You’ll also want a hand crank radio and a flashlight.
Your emergency first aid kit can be simple and compact. This would include band-aids for small wounds, gauze pads and safety pins, antibiotic ointment, insect bite relief pads, vaseline, tweezers, scissors, glover, and a mask. Alcohol wipes and wet wipes are also good additions for sanitation purposes. Kits containing these items can be easily found online or in pharmacies.
You might also want to consider including a case of water and protein meal bars in case you are stranded for an extended period of time. The weight of the case of water will also help the kitty litter in weighing down the back end of the car if you’re in a snowy or icy area and are struggling to get traction.
What Should Be In Your Emergency Car Kit
● First aid kit
● Water
● Protein Bars
● Toiletries
● Chargers
● Hand Crank Radio
● A Sleeping Bag
● Wool Blanket
● Hand Warmers
● Jumper Cables
● Tire spray
● GPS or Map
● Cat litter
● Towing strap
● Antifreeze
● Reflective Triangles
Benefits of a Car Emergency Kit
There are tons of benefits to preparing a car emergency kit and virtually no downsides. Many of these items are affordable and compact, so they will be able to fit in the corners of your trunk no matter what size of car you drive. Your car emergency kit can actually save your life if you are in a situation where you are using your car as shelter or you need to quickly be able to remove yourself from a dangerous situation. Being ready to fend for yourself will make you more protected, as you are not subject to waiting for someone else to come to your rescue. Another benefit is that you will be able to help others, as using a flare or reflector will help others on the road drive more safely and prevent further accidents from occurring. Preventing a second accident is a huge benefit in itself. Without the flares or signals, your car and you can be hidden to oncoming traffic and in much more danger.
As you can see, having an emergency kit in your car is a no brainer. Begin by thinking about the auto tools that you will be able to use safely on your own, such as cables and flat tire spray. You can also take free time to learn skills such as changing a tire that will come in very handy in an emergency situation. Learning these skills and having the proper equipment can save not only your life but the lives of other people on the road. When you are able to get out of the emergency situation more quickly or are able to signal your distress to others, you decrease the chances of a second accident that would cause even more harm.
It is a good idea to think of your car as an option for shelter if your home is unsafe. You can take care of your most basic needs in the car, and you can sleep there if you have the proper tools to keep you warm at night. You can put many of these items together quickly and inexpensively, and they can fit in the trunk of your car! There is no reason not to have an emergency kit!
