What to Include in Your Car Emergency Kit

The road can be a wonderful place. You can take a drive to clear your head, you can enjoy the windows down and the music blaring, and even watch the sunset on your drive home from work. Knowing you have a car emergency kit to help in a pinch makes it all even better!

We all know that driving can have its downsides. There may be harsh weather keeping your stuck on the side of the road, a flat tire, or you can even have an accident! You’re able to be prepared for whatever may be thrown your way while driving with your car emergency kit.

What Do I Pack In The Car Emergency Kit?

Your car emergency kit should have a variety of helpful items to help you if the road trip gets rough. Ordinarily, they should contain at least one item per possible emergency that would be helpful. Not to mention a few things that will help in any situation.

You can’t predict the future, and neither can we, but we can surely try to help you prepare for it! Whether you’re preparing for a long road trip, or simply use your car for work every day, you need these items in your vehicle. Here is our list of helpful tools and items you should have in your car emergency kit right now!

First Aid

A first aid kit is a must for any driver on the road. First aid kits can be helpful in many situations. From your kid having a skinned knee at the park, to a more serious injury from an accident, having a first aid kit right there, on hand, will be incredibly helpful!

You can purchase a car first aid kit, or make your own. Make sure everything that has an expiration date on it is replaced regularly. Your car emergency kit has one absolutely essential element, and that is definitely first aid!

Change of Clothes

There are a lot of reasons why having a change of clothes for every family member is a great idea. Here are a few scenarios where you may need them!

• Tires. Even though you have the best floor jack on the market, that won’t keep your clothing from getting dirty while you’re changing your tire.
• Spills. You’re driving along with your coffee on your way to work, and you hit a random pot hole. BAM, coffee everywhere!
• Children. No matter where you’re going, or how long you’ll be there, if you have children, it’s a good idea to have a spare set of clothes. You never know what they may get into!

Blankets

Having a blanket in your car at all times can be useful for more than just your car emergency kit. You can use it for picnics. You can keep passengers warm. Similarly, you can even lay it down on the back seat for pets!

Blankets are also extremely helpful in an emergency situation, especially if you live in a place that can get very cold. If your car breaks down in the middle of winter, and you can’t heat the interior, you’re in trouble! Blankets, or space blankets, will most definitely keep you warm until help arrives!

Flash Light and Emergency Cell Phone

If your vehicle breaks down at night, having a flash light in your car emergency kit will be SO helpful! In fact, you can not only use the flash light to help you change a tire, or to look at your engine, but you can also use it to signal for help!

In addition to a flash light, your car emergency kit should also have a fully charged emergency phone. If you have an old cell phone just laying around the house, then even if it isn’t connected to a network, they can still make emergency calls! Make sure the battery is fully charged, then turn it off and put it in your car emergency kit!

Tools and Gear

Having a few extra tools and some roadside gear will be great if something happens while you’re on the road! Whether it’s a high-quality ratcheting wrench set, or some bright orange, reflective road triangles to warn other cars where you are. Your emergency road gear and a tool kit will help you out in a jam.

Car Needs

Your car emergency kit isn’t just about you, it’s also about your car! Here are a few things to have to get your car running smoothly in a jam!

• Coolant
• Jumper cables
• Quart of motor oil
• Gas Can (Empty)

All of these items can be really handy if you find yourself having a bad day on the road! After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Car Emergency Kit You Hopefully Never Have to Use

All in all, we hope you never have to use your car emergency kit. However, we know that sometimes, life can deal us more than a problem or two. Having your emergency kit all ready to go in your car will help you when you need it most!