Do you have an emergency kit in your car? And do you reset it for the seasons?
If not, here is a really thorough list to help you make one up. Do your best to make one for every car that you and/or your kids drive regularly.
In your dash or center console, keep a seatbelt cutter/window breaker tool. This tool won't help you if it is in your trunk or under your seat!
Emergency Car Kit
- A sturdy box to hold everything, with a latching lid.
- Bottled water, at least one for each passenger that could be in the car
- High-energy non-perishable snacks
- Flashlight & batteries (separate)
- Battery operated or windup radio
- Chunky glow sticks
- Individually wrapped wet wipes
- Roll of toilet paper
- Basic first aid kit
- A loud whistle or siren
- One or two blankets if you have space, or foil emergency blankets
- Compressed towels (the dollar stores sell these and they are so handy)
- Rain ponchos in bright colors
- Diapers and/or or a change of clothes (if you have children)
- Collapsible umbrella
- Scriptures, book, coloring book, puzzle book (and pencils/colored pencils, not crayons)
- Hand sanitizer
- Pocket knife or a small multi-tool
- $5-$20 cash (and change)
- Jumper cables
- Collapsible reflective pylons, a warning light, and/or flares.
- Reflective vest (wear this if you need to change a tire!)
- 1-2 garbage bags
For the summer, add electrolyte packets, insect repellent, and a battery-powered fan & batteries (separate).
In the winter, make sure you have an ice scraper/snow brush and if possible a collapsible shovel in your trunk as well. (I have one like this) Adding a bag of traction sand doesn't hurt! Consider also having an emergency candle in a metal tin as a heat source, or emergency heat packs.
If you're commuting or traveling regularly in the winter, it's a good idea to keep a set of winter clothing in the car, including a spare pair of boots, a warm jacket, snow pants, hat, and mittens. (If you have gone to work in office shoes but end up stuck in the snow, you'll be thankful for those boots!)
Also, in case no one ever told you this: If you do hit the ditch and need to keep your car running for heat, make sure the tailpipe of your vehicle is completely clear of snow!
A quick note about the photo in this post - at one time I also kept a hatchet in our kit, as well as some bungee cords and a mini camp stove. These aren't something I'd recommend if you don't live well outside a city - but if you spend most of your time driving in very rural areas where emergency services may take a while to reach you, then think about what kind of situations you might encounter and adjust your emergency kit accordingly.
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