Winter car emergency kit
What to carry, and what to do if snow traps you on the road.
Every piece of advice has its official source at the end.
All of this, put into a plan for your home, is in the guide Ready in 7 Days.
Before you set off
- Drive in bad weather only if you really have to, and check the forecast and road conditions first.
- Keep a full tank of gas.
- Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to arrive, and ask them to call the authorities if you are late.
- Have a mechanic check the antifreeze, battery, brakes, heater and lights before winter.
What to carry
Ice scraper
A frosty windshield clears in a minute.
See optionsWarm clothes and blankets
Don't rely on the car to give enough heat: it could break down. Foil blankets take up almost no room.
Check price: QIO CHUANG, 4 blanketsFlashlight
For the dark and for being seen; a headlamp leaves your hands free.
Check price: GearLight, pack of 2Jumper cables
Batteries fail most in the cold.
Check price: Energizer, heavy dutyCar phone charger
So the phone lasts while you wait for help.
Check price: LISEN, USB-CSand or cat litter
For traction if the wheels spin on ice.
See optionsBottled water and snacks
Food that keeps, in case you are stuck for hours.
See options
If you get stuck
- If you are trapped in your car, stay inside, and tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna.
- Run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes every hour, with a window slightly open.
- Check the exhaust pipe is not blocked by snow: carbon monoxide builds up inside the car.
- Move what you need from the trunk into the car, wrap up, head included, stay awake and keep moving your arms and legs.
Don't do this
- Don't run the engine with the exhaust buried in snow.
- Don't eat snow: it lowers your body temperature.
- Don't drink alcohol to keep warm: it makes your body lose heat faster.
The car pack
For a long jam, snow or a breakdown far from anywhere. All of it fits in the car:
Power bank
10,000 to 20,000 mAh: roughly 2 to 4 phone charges. Recharge it every six months.
Our pick: Anker, 10,000 mAh
Rain poncho
Covers you and the bag at once.
Our pick: ANYOO, reusable with hood
Jump starter
Starts the car with a flat battery without waiting for another one, and charges your phone. Top it up every time the clocks change.
Our pick: S ZEVZO ET03, with USB for your phone
The whole pack, with the blankets and the flashlight, goes to the Amazon cart in one click. If you already have something, check it in the car pack and its button leaves it out.
The links go to amazon.com and are affiliate links: if you buy through them we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
This does not replace instructions from the police, the road authorities or 911: if they say something different, do what they say.
The car, part of the plan
In Ready in 7 Days, the In depth section has “A car ready to wait”: the car all year, in snow and ice, in a heatwave and with children, older people or pets. Alongside the plan for your home for three days without help.
Keep reading
When it happens
What to do in a power outage
The first hour, the fridge and what to do when the power comes back.
ReadHow to stay warm with no heating
The warm room, how to heat up safely and the signs of hypothermia.
ReadFridge and freezer in a power outage
How long each one lasts, what to throw out and what you can refreeze.
ReadCPAP, oxygen and medical devices in a power outage
CPAP, oxygen and other devices that need power: the plan before the outage.
Read
What to buy
Emergency radio for a power outage
Battery or hand-crank, and which stations to note down.
ReadEmergency kit on Black Friday: what is worth buying
What is worth buying, what isn't and how to tell a real discount.
ReadHow much water to store for an emergency
How much per person, how to store it and how to make it safe.
ReadPower station for a power outage at home: which to buy
Three sizes, what to plug in and how many hours each one gives.
ReadFlashlight and power bank for a power outage
Head flashlight or lantern, which batteries and how many charges a power bank gives.
ReadGo bag checklist
What goes in the bag, where to keep it and what to do when you're told to leave.
Read