Here’s a car emergency kit for the rest of us … We’re not ALL living on the set of The Walking Dead.
When I tried to find ideas for car emergency kits I found that most seemed to be preparing for a month in the woods or a zombie apocalypse rather than everyday disasters. I don’t drive a cargo van; I cannot imagine where I would put the equivalent of a small auto parts store in my mid-size car. I wanted to know what would give me the most bang for my buck and my space, weather dependent.
For your year-round kit
Cash – $20 in small bills and change
Duct tape – Is there anything it can’t do?
First aid kit – Keep it basic; bandages of various sizes, antiseptic wipes, sting/itch relief, tweezers, antibiotic ointment, pain relief, and allergy relief.
Hand sanitizer
Headlamp or small flashlight – I love a headlamp for its size and its hands-free usefulness.
Jumper cables or battery starter – And instructions on how to use them
Laminated list of important phone numbers – Nobody memorizes numbers anymore
Multi tool (or at the very least, a screwdriver) – I once had my windshield wiper get stuck hanging halfway off my car in the middle of a torrential downpour.
Paracord – Extremely compact rope that can hold a lot of weight.
Pen and paper
Phone charger – A portable one that runs on batteries is best in an emergency. Make sure you have extra batteries.
Roadside assistance card
Towel
Window breaker / seat belt cutter – Keep this somewhere easily accessible, but where it won’t fly out of reach in an accident.
There are some items that only serve to take up space for most of the year, so change them out as needed.
Warm weather additions
Bug spray – I once had to walk a mile through tall grass after our car broke down, and when I finally got to a bathroom I counted seven ticks on me. Seven. Ticks.
Cooling towel
Spray bottle – If you’re stuck somewhere hot you can give yourself an occasional spritz to help cool off.
Sunscreen
Cold weather additions
Blanket
Collapsible shovel – Speaking from personal experience, make sure you know how to lock it in place before you need it.
Extra set of hats and gloves
Hand warmers
Ice scraper with snow brush
Reflective blanket
One final thought
The best way to prepare for emergencies is to avoid them in the first place. Make sure you have at least one good weather alert app on your phone. It should update based on your current location and be customizable to the alerts you want to hear.
