Tips to Create the Perfect Emergency Car Kit for This Winter

Cold winter is here and that means that driving can be dangerous. Ice and snow can quickly make a road treacherous. This time of year it is all the more important to have an emergency kit in your vehicle. This is especially important if you live in a rural area where it is possible to get stranded for a day or two without being passed by other vehicles. If you happen to already have an emergency kit in your vehicle, you may need to add a couple cold weather must haves. Use these few tips to make sure that you and your family stay safe while driving this winter.

1. Food and Water

You should have enough food and water to feed your entire family for a couple days. Have a few granola bars and other non-perishable foods in your emergency kit. If you have an infant you need to store a can of formula and a bottle or two.

2. Blankets

Keep a couple blankets in your emergency kit in case you get stranded. If you do get stuck or wreck on a lightly traveled road, you should turn off your vehicle to conserve gas. Before turning off your vehicle you should turn the heat on high and let run for about 5 minutes. After you have done this you should not open your doors to conserve the heat inside the cab. Also, close off all the air vents to prevent wind from blowing in.

3. Extra Clothes

You don't necessarily need to have a full change of clothing for each person in your family. However, you should keep extra socks inside. Socks can get wet very easily and socks can even double as mittens in emergency situations. It is important to make sure that your family is properly dressed whenever they leave the house. This is important even if you are just running down the street.

4. Emergency Cell Phone Charger

You can purchase emergency cell phone chargers that will charge your cell phone battery for a short period of time. The charger actually uses only a couple alkaline batteries. This is important to have in your call at all times.

5. Flares and Flashlights

This is pretty obvious and is self explanatory. They are a staple in most vehicle emergency kits. Make sure to check your flashlight batteries every couple months.

6. First aid kit