What to Have in Your Car’s Emergency Kit

14 Jul What to Have in Your Car’s Emergency Kit

Expect the unexpected! Preparing for an emergency before it happens is the best way to get through it safely, and there are numerous emergency situations that you could find yourself in on the road. You can be prepared for whatever with our Car Emergency Kit list!

1. Jumper cables
   • Make sure you know how to use them!
2. A properly inflated spare tire
3. A wheel wrench
4. A tripod jack
5. A small toolkit and/or a multipurpose utility tool
6. An empty 1- or 2-gallon gas container
   • Never keep a container of gas in your car.
   • An empty gas container can be filled at a gas station if you run out of gas and can be just enough to get your car to the station for a fillup.
   • Milk jugs, antifreeze jugs, glass containers, and other types of containers should not be used to hold gasoline!
7. A flashlight
   • Crank operated flashlights are great. You won’t need batteries and you don’t have a fire risk for batteries.
8. Reflective triangles, brightly colored cloth, and a reflective vest
9. A compass
10. A car charger for your cell phone
11. Duct tape
12. A first aid kit that includes:
    • Gauze
    • Medical tape
    • Bandages
    • Triple Antibiotic ointment
    • Aspirin
    • A blanket
    • Nonlatex gloves
    • Scissors
    • Hydrocortisone
    • A thermometer
    • Tweezers
    • Instant cold compresses
13. A fire extinguisher
14. A rain poncho
15. Non-perishable, high-energy foods like unsalted nuts, dried fruits, and hard candy
16. Distilled water
    • In an emergency, you can use it for hydration.
    • You can also use it to cool off your engine if it overheats.
    • Sunlight and heat will weaken the plastic of most water bottles and leach the BPA’s from them and allow it to contaminate the water. Also, water bottles can pose a fire hazard as light passes through them like a prism.
      • Store water bottles in a cooler or purchase canned water!
17. A snowbrush and ice scraper
18. Deicing windshield wiper fluid
19. Warm clothing including gloves
20. Cat litter
    • This is a great item for those of us up north! Cat litter provides a bit of extra traction for our tires in the winter.
21. A list of important numbers:
    • Your auto insurance provider’s number
    • A towing company
    • Emergency phone numbers
    • Contacts for family and friends

Whether it’s a camping trip out in the Smokey Mountains or a milk-run down to the grocery store, you never know when you might experience a car emergency. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Check these items off of your list, remember to review your coverage with your Sava Insurance agent, and be safe out there!

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