We as adults spend a significant amount of time every week in our car. With today’s hectic and demanding lifestyle, we seem to always be on the go. Whether it’s commuting to and from work, taking the kids to soccer practice, or taking trips to visit friends and family, we find ourselves in a car. Wouldn’t you think that having an emergency kit accessible to you when you’re using your car makes sense? Don’t you take a bathing suit to the beach? Remember that accidents happen and emergency situations don’t always take place at home. Hopefully you’ve already prepared your house for emergencies! Your car emergency kit does not need to be huge, it just needs to contain a few important items. Below is a list of some recommended items for your kit. Just put it in your trunk and forget about it. Hopefully you’ll never have to use it, but it will be there when you need it.
Car Emergency Kit – What Should I Pack?
* Non perishable food and water – It’s a good idea to have 3 days worth of food on hand like emergency food bars, MRE’s, and snacks like trail mix. Try to have several bottles or gallons of safe drinking water as well. Remember that the rule is 1 gallon of water per person per day. ( See Water Tips Page )
* Flashlight & extra batteries – If you get stranded at night, you’ll want to be able to see!
* Matches – used to start a fire for warmth, cooking, or signaling
* First Aid Kit – self explanatory
* Portable Radio – a radio will serve multiple purposes like being aware of whats going on, keeping animals away, and listening to music will help with moral and keep your spirits up. This is a very understated aspect of surviving any emergency.
* Emergency Flares – used when needing to signal for help
* Emergency Whistle – a whistle will help rescuers locate you, and will deter animals from attacking you
* Duct Tape – this can be used for almost anything in any situation.
* Multi Tool – these are great little tools that lend themselves to cutting, twisting, gripping and more
* Shoes – not a necessity, but if the car breaks down and you need to walk a long distance, comfortable shoes will pay huge dividends
* Portable cell phone charger – keeping the battery life on your cell phone will greatly increase your chances of getting help
This is just a list of some of the most important items to have in your car emergency kit. Keep in mind that your geographical location might play a part in what else you may consider having on hand. For example, if you live in the north, you might want to consider adding a warm jacket to your kit. If you live in the south, you may want to consider adding a hat and sunscreen to your supplies. Most of the items on the list can be purchased inexpensively at your local grocer or box store, online, even at Amazon.
If you would like to view a great car emergency kit that’s already prepared for you, check this one out here
