A Quick Guide To Prepare A Car Emergency Survival Kit
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When it comes to potentially life-threatening emergencies, your first line of defense is avoiding them altogether. However, this is not always possible. The second line of defense is preparation. One should always be prepared for emergencies.
Driving a car is dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 38,680 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2020 in the U.S alone. Thus, having a car emergency survival kit ready to go is essential. This guide will quickly walk you through setting yours up.
Types of Emergency Situations
- Tire blowout
- Brake failure
- Stuck accelerator
- Loss of steering
- Engine overheats
- Animal collision
- Vehicle submersion in water
- Head-on collision
- Severe weather
- Hydroplaning
- Driving off the road
- High winds
General Tips For Emergency Situations
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- Stay calm
- Assess the situation
- Don’t overreact
- Know how to respond
- Preparation is key! It’s better to have something at hand and not need it than to need something and not have it.
Essential Gear for Vehicle Trouble
Important items for your vehicle emergency kit:
- Jumper cables
- Washer fluid
- Extra oil
- Ice scraper
- Antifreeze
- Inflated spare tire, wheel wrench, and tripod jack
- Tool kit or multi-purpose tool
- Emergency car battery charger
- Tow strap
- Cat litter (suitable for getting traction in the snow) and foldable shovel
Do you think it’s too much of an effort? Well, in that case, opt for a survival box. These come with everything you need for both survival and vehicle trouble. These are pretty convenient because rather than compiling the entire list of supplies yourself, the kit has you covered.
Essentials for Your Emergency Kit
- Water
- Food
- Light
- Navigation
- Communication
- First aid
- Shelter
- Clothing
- Car repair items
- Miscellaneous
These are the key categories of your car survival kit. Now, let’s get into each.
Food
Think non-perishable and high-energy. By high-energy, we mean calorie-dense. Some great choices are beef jerky, trail mix, freeze-dried meals, canned foods, dried fruit, peanut butter, cereal, granola, etc.
Water
You want at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and hygiene purposes. You could go about several ways: you can store water jugs in your car or pack a water filtration device.
Tip: If you are filtering water with a filtration device, choose a water source that is fast-moving and clear. The bigger the water source, the better. A river is preferable to a small stream. Do not filter and drink water from lakes unless you run the risk of perishing without it.
Light
If you’ve never done it before, operating in complete darkness is very difficult. If you cannot see the situation in front of you, how can you react properly? Thus, light is an essential element of any survival kit. Plus, if you have some sort of mechanical difficulty with your vehicle at night, a light source allows you to fix it.
Include a flashlight or lantern in your emergency kit and extra batteries.
Navigation
A few options:
- Handheld GPS unit
- Map
- Compass
If you’re in a bad situation, you want to be able to let someone know. Here are some essential items:
Communication
- Reflective materials to make the vehicle more visible
- Flare gun or glow sticks
- Satellite phone
- Cell phone and charger
Tip: If you are traveling, always let at least one person know where you are going.
First Aid
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First aid gear is essential to any well-stocked car survival kit. Here are the items to include:
- Antibiotic ointment
- Gauze
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Antiseptic wipes
- Prescription medications
- Medical tape
- Bandaids
- Elastic bandages
- Tournaquits
- Splints and triangular bandages
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Diarrhea medication
- Aspirin and Advil
- Benadryl
Shelter
If you find yourself in a bad situation, it may be possible to shelter inside your vehicle. Pack blankets and sleeping bags so that you can sleep in your car. You can also pack a tarp or a tent for any situation in which you would have to shelter outside your vehicle.
Tip: Sleeping bags have degree ratings. Some go down to -22, while others only protect you from the elements up to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to check the rating.
Clothing
Think of the ‘clothing’ category as your first line of defense against the elements. Ask yourself these questions: Where do you live? What kind of weather can arise where you live? Then pack clothing accordingly.
For example, if you live in Colorado, you should pack items for a cold-weather emergency: snow boots, gloves, a hat, several layers to keep warm (base, fleece, shell), warm socks, etc. One or two sets of extra clothing will do the trick, including shirts, pants, socks, and underwear.
Miscellaneous
Some other items to consider packing:
- Rope
- Hygiene items: toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, baby wipes, etc.
- Knife or multitool
- Duct tape, it’s good for just about everything
- Car escape tool with a seatbelt cutter and window-breaker
- Firestarter kit, matches, lighters, etc.
Be sure to refer back to this guide for the essential tips and tricks on building your car emergency kit. Avoidance is the first key when dealing with emergencies. However, if avoidance is not possible, the second crucial step is preparation. One should always be prepared for adverse events, and having a car emergency survival kit is one way to be prepared and ready for the worst.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
