Whether it’s a long standstill in the middle of the highway or your car breaking down on the side of the road, having an emergency car safety kit in the trunk of your vehicle allows you to stay safe when you’re most vulnerable on the road.
Depending on the season, you can replace some items on this list to free up some space in your car (for example, your winter car safety kit should have more cold-weather-related items than one for the summer). For other items, they’re essentials necessary for every season.
If you haven’t created your kit yet or are looking for new items to add, our list of the top 11 items for your emergency car safety kit is here to help.
Top 11 Items for Your Car Safety Kit
For this list, we categorized the items into four main sections: seasonal, car-related, expiring, and communication.
Seasonal Items for your Emergency Car Safety Kit
These items you throw in your kit for the winter and keep out for the summer. Some people prefer to keep these products on hand all year round, and that’s fine, but it’s not always necessary, depending on where you live.
1. Blankets
Everyone needs good blankets, especially as part of your emergency car safety kit. When traveling in cold weather, the last thing you need is to be stranded in freezing temperatures without any blankets to help you and your family fight off hypothermia.
You can either take some blankets from your couch or, if you live in a dangerous weather area, purchase emergency thermal blankets or a survival Bivvy sack. Emergency blankets are easily portable and retain up to 90% of your body heat.
2. Extra Clothes
Keeping an extra set of clothes with you at all times shouldn’t be seasonal, but the types of clothes on hand might be. For example, in cold weather, have a pair of gloves, a winter hat, and a sweatshirt in your emergency car kit. In the summer, you should be able to get away with just a sweater and leave the gloves and hats in the house.
Some essential items to include in your car emergency kit are a couple of pairs of socks and underwear, pants, and a shirt.
Car-Related Items for Your Emergency Car Safety Kit
There are a few items you should always have in your car that will not only help in an emergency but also prevent minor inconveniences from escalating into bigger problems.
3. Spare Tire
Don’t let yourself be stranded without a spare tire.
Most cars these days come with a spare tire and wrench in the trunk of your car, but if you’ve used yours recently or don’t have one, it’s time for a replacement. In those situations where you’re in a rural area without much cell phone service, knowing you’ve got a spare in case of a flat saves you a lot of stress.
Many spare tires are limited-use tire substitutes, often referred to as “donuts,” and perform poorly in inclement weather or over long stretches of driving.
Bonus Tip: Practice changing a spare tire before an emergency happens. You don’t want your first time to be in the middle of severe weather or on a busy highway.
4. Jumper Cables
Jumper cables will be handy on long road trips if your car battery decides to go out on you. While not applicable if you’re by yourself, a set of jumper cables can help you restart your car in a parking lot or on the side of the road.
5. Vehicle Safety Items
Every car should have the following items inside at all times: a small air compressor, a tire gauge, and road flares.
Small air compressors are low-cost and help put air in your tires when you don’t think you’d make it to the gas station before a flat. You may not always find yourself in a situation where you can get to someplace to fill your tires, so having an option in your emergency car safety kit is beneficial. As for a tire gauge, keep one on hand constantly to check if you need to fill up (or if your tires are overfilled). Most cars now come with automatic tire pressure measurements, but it never hurts to have a backup.
Road flares and reflective triangles protect you when you’re on the side of the road in any kind of weather. At nighttime, during a snowstorm, or even just on a busy highway, being on the side of the road is a dangerous place. Protect yourself and make yourself visible to avoid being hit by oncoming traffic.
6. Flashlight
While not a car-related item, a flashlight is essential to have on hand at all times. Most smartphones have built-in flashlights, but you don’t want to waste your battery life if you end up without a charger.
Plus, if you rely only on your phone’s flashlight, you’ll find yourself in the dark if you need to call for help.
We recommend obtaining a solar-powered emergency lantern or a storm-proof emergency floodlight. Both provide excellent lighting protection in the harshest of weather conditions.
Note: Solar-powered lights do need sunlight to charge. Ensure that solar-powered lights can absorb sunlight and aren’t stored in a dark area. Alternatively, battery-powered flashlights and a set of fully-charged backup batteries are a good option.
7. Reflective Safety Vests
If you must leave your vehicle in the middle of the night to seek help, a reflective vest will ensure that drivers can see you.
A reflective vest will make it less likely that you’ll be injured by a car and draw attention, so drivers or pedestrians can lend you their aid.
According to the NHTSA, 75% of pedestrian fatalities happen in the dark, so it’s important to make sure that you stand out among a sea of cars to get the help you need and stay safe while doing so.
Expiring Items for your Emergency Car Safety Kit
You should check on these items yearly, as some of them may expire and cause even more damage if used or ingested.
8. First Aid Kit
You might not think of a first aid kit expiring, but depending on the contents, there is a time and a place where using it might be more dangerous than not.
A good first-aid kit should include Band-Aids, disinfectant wipes, aspirin, and other essential items. If you’d rather not build your own, our Ride-Along 3-Day Survival Kit and Hi-Visibility/Hi-Safety 3-Day Auto Kit include everything you need, from bandages to flares to even water packets.
9. Nonperishable Foods and Drinking Water
If stranded, food and water can become the most critical items in your car safety kit.
Nonperishable items, such as canned or dried foods, will help you sustain yourself until you can find other food sources. Additionally, it’s important to stay hydrated, so make sure you have drinkable water on hand.
Find something with an extended expiration date, such as pouches of emergency water or food bars with a five-year shelf life.
10. Baby and Pet Supplies
If you find yourself stranded with a little one in your backseat, you will need another kit of just their supplies. These include diapers, formula, blankets, toys, and any other essentials you may need to keep your baby comfortable.
When traveling with your pet, keep an extra water bowl and some food in the back to ensure they’re also hydrated and fed.
Communication
Communicating with the outside world can be the difference between life and death in a dangerous situation.
11. Phone Charger
The last thing you need while stranded on the road is for your phone to be dead.
Make sure you have a regular phone charger plugged into a wall and a car charger so your phone will be ready if you need to make an emergency call.
Emergency chargers and power banks enable you to charge your devices without relying on your car’s battery. Both are portable, so you can keep them even when not in the vehicle.
Keep Your Vehicle Running in the Winter
Just like your car needs regular oil changes, your emergency kit requires its own routine check-ups.
After all, what good is a dead flashlight or expired food when you’re stranded on the side of the road?
First, think of your car safety kit like a fire extinguisher: you hope you never need it, but when you do, it must work.
We recommend reviewing your kit at least every six months, or ideally, before embarking on any long road trip.
Here’s what to look for:
- Expiration Dates
- Battery Power
- Functionality
- Seasonal Swaps
Invest in a durable, waterproof container, like a sturdy plastic bin or a dedicated emergency bag.
This protects your supplies from spills, dust, and moisture.
Group similar items together. You can use smaller bags or pouches within your main container for categories such as “First Aid,” “Tools,” “Food & Water,” and “Personal Items.”
Your kit should be in an easily accessible location in your vehicle, typically the trunk or cargo area.
What Should You Do in an Emergency on the Road?
Knowing what to do, and in what order, can turn a chaotic, stressful situation into a manageable one, ensuring your safety and that of your passengers.
When in an emergency, your immediate priority is to get yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle out of harm’s way as much as possible.
If your car is still operational, try to pull over to the safest possible location.
Get completely off the highway or busy road if you can, or at least as far to the shoulder as possible. Avoid stopping on blind curves or hills.
You should also turn on your hazard lights (also known as flashers). This is your primary way of alerting other drivers to your disabled vehicle.
Once safely stopped, deploy your road flares or reflective triangles behind your vehicle.
Place them far enough back (typically 100-200 feet, or approximately 30-60 meters) to give oncoming traffic ample warning, especially at night or in low-visibility conditions such as fog or heavy rain.
Unless there’s an immediate danger (like a fire or flood), it’s generally safest to stay inside or very close to your vehicle.
Your car offers a degree of protection and makes you easier to spot for emergency services.
Once you’re as safe as possible, it’s time to figure out what’s going on and reach out for help.
Briefly assess the situation. Is it a flat tire? A strange noise from the engine? Are there any injuries?
If there’s been an accident, your first priority after securing the scene is to check for injuries to yourself and anyone else involved.
Administer basic first aid from your kit if necessary.
Use your fully charged phone to call for roadside assistance (your auto club, insurance provider, or a local towing service).
For serious accidents, injuries, or hazardous situations, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
Please provide your exact location (look for mile markers, street names, or use your phone’s GPS to obtain coordinates).
If your phone is dead, use your emergency charger or power bank.
If that’s not an option, you may need to try flagging down a passing motorist safely or walking to the nearest gas station or building as a last resort, provided it’s safe to do so.
If possible, send a quick text or call to a family member or friend to let them know where you are and what’s happened.
With the immediate danger managed and help on the way, you can now access the resources in your car emergency kit.
Wear blankets or extra clothing as needed, depending on the weather.
If it’s a simple issue you can safely fix (like changing a spare tire), now is the time to do it.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to navigate a roadside emergency with confidence and increase your chances of a safe resolution.
LifeSecure Emergency Solutions has Everything You Need for Your Emergency Car Safety Kit.
LifeSecure Emergency Solutions offers a range of car safety kits specifically tailored to your needs.
As a leader in emergency solutions, our range of kits in various sizes helps you stay safe while traveling. Don’t get stuck on the road without protecting yourself first.
