What to Include in a Roadside Emergency Kit
What to include in a vehicle winter emergency kit
If you are thinking of creating your own vehicle emergency kit, rather than purchasing a ready made kit from a store, there are a few key points you need to consider before starting. Physically speaking, how big can the kit be? Is your trunk space limited or do you have lots of room. This will dictate, in most cases, what can be included in your kit. Start off with a container of appropriate size. Sometimes medium sized rubbermaid storage containers work well. I have in the past, seen kits that were contained in a small metal bucket, similar to a wash pail. This was to allow for a place to have a small fire for warmth or warming food.
Once you have a container picked out you can add the contents. Starting with the basics, booster cables. These are a must in any vehicle emergency kit.
A tow rope or cable can be purchased from any automotive parts and accessory store and as I have personally experienced in the past, should be another staple in any kit.
Basic first aid kit that includes bandages, gauze, alcohol wipes etc. This can also be picked up from almost any sporting goods retailer, or drug store. A collapsible shovel, or trunk shovel can get you out of a mess in a snow storm, and are easy to find at most hardware retailers.
A box of emergency candles for warmth and light, a flashlight, and some safety flares to put out on the road . The more visible you are, the better.
An emergency blanket. If you go to a store looking for an emergency blanket, they may try to sell you the small, tin foil like, campers blanket. Although they are very small and easy to store, a heavier, fleece type blanket will add more warmth when stuck in a vehicle for extended periods of time.
Also make sure you have a few pairs of gloves. If you are in the snow digging, or trying to change a tire or something, your gloves will be wet. I have also included hand and toe warmers in my kit. They are very inexpensive and last a long time.
Last but certainly not least, food. A few snacks that offer nutritional value are extremely important. I keep granola bars, and a few different canned items in mine. Just make sure if you have canned items, that you have a way to get into them. Lids that pull off are easiest of course.
Hopefully you will never need any of the items that I have mentioned here, but if something happens that you do, you will be ready.
