Car Kit Essentials That Won’t Leave You Stranded

Are you looking for car kit essentials that you can depend on?

Or perhaps you’ve never given it a lot of thought. Maybe you have a commercial roadside emergency kit tucked somewhere in your trunk stocked with some jumper cables and band-aids and feel adequately prepared.

That optimistic approach might serve you well enough, especially in well-populated areas where there’s a fire station (hence, rescue crews) every few blocks. I know that was my mindset when emergency response times were a non-issue.

I have since moved to a rural four-season area. Here, widespread dead zones for cell phone service are year-round, and not just during the snowy winter months. Unfortunately, these areas affect my entire family during our commutes to work, high school, and college.

As a long-time ER nurse who sees firsthand the plight of those who don’t properly prepare, you can bet our vehicles are expertly stocked with the goods to handle a multitude of emergencies.  

How prepared are you?

This post is all about car kit essentials.

Car Kit Essentials

According to a 2016 American Automobile Association (AAA) survey (see more here), Americans spend about 293 hours behind the wheel annually.

That’s just over seven 40-hour work weeks spent driving!… All the more reason to head out prepared. 

Growing up in Southern California where the outside temperatures remain pretty stable (and comfortable), I never felt the need to modify my car kit based on the seasons.

I’ve since learned that planning for emergencies requires planning for the outside elements too. For example, if you live where it snows, a winter car kit requires you to have tire chains or cables, at least in your vehicle. And that might not be enough… a lot of smaller vehicle owners keep a separate set of studded winter tires to help get them around. 

(Images: Some of my personal basic car kit must-haves)

Meanwhile, a summer car kit will need sunblock and extra, extra water. And if you have pets that frequently ride in the car with you, they’ll also need some rudimentary standby items to keep them comfortable while they’re waiting for roadside assistance too.

We’ll break that down later – first, everyone needs some sort of basic roadside emergency kit that’s stocked for general inconveniences and is suitable year-round… no matter where you live.

Roadside Emergency Kit

For basic roadside emergencies, my children and I all carry this heavy-duty set from Damsel In Defense’s “Security-On-The-Go” line:

(Image: “Junk In The Trunk” Auto Emergency Kit – Buy It Here)

Roadside Emergency Kit List

This car kit comes nicely packed in a sturdy carry case that, when full, stands upright on its own. I love that the reflective tape on the outside not only catches headlights in the dark but in the sunlight as well. The netting on either side holds everything neatly in place.

This basic kit includes:

• 1- ICE SCRAPER for your windshield.
• 2 – REFLECTIVE TRIANGLES. These will only stand on their own if intertwined as pictured above.
• WATERPROOF MATCHES
• DUAL-FUNCTION SCREWDRIVER (flathead & Phillips)
• RAIN PONCHO (Adult size)
• EMERGENCY BLANKET
• 1- BUNGEE CORD
• 1- set PLAYING CARDS, to keep you busy while you wait for help
• 1- LED HEADLAMP, keeps your work area and yourself well-lit while keeping your hands free. This headlamp also has a (bright white) strobe light and takes 3 – AAA batteries. 
• 1- FLASHING STROBE LIGHT. This orange disk has a hook that comes from behind it so it can be hung. It has 8 different patterns of (bright yellow) strobe and one continuous super-bright white light. This also takes 3 – AAAs, not included. 
• 250 amp 8-gauge steal, 10 ft. long JUMPER CABLES. My children and I would only use these to help someone else, in a public and well-lit area. This is a non-negotiable safety precaution, in my book. For our own dead batteries (and flat tires), we carry something a little more self-sufficient, so we’re not at the mercy of whoever stops to help…if anyone stops to help, that is.
• TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE. Not sure how much air pressure is needed for your tires? Refer to  the sticker inside your car door or the vehicle owner’s manual: 

(Images: Where to find tire pressure specifications for your vehicle)

Car First Aid Kit

This roadside kit also comes with a first aid kit equipped for minor accidents:

• 10 – Bandaids, big enough for fingers
• 10 – Bandaids for microscopic cuts
• 1 – Knuckle bandage
• 2 – Adhesive wound dressings (2.36″ x 2.76″)
• 1 – Roll of tape
• 3- Alcohol swabs, individually wrapped
• 40 -Cotton Swabs

(Images: Roadside emergency equipment fits in 1 see-through, easy-to-move bin)

The size of the entire pack fits perfectly in this see-through plastic bin, where all roadside emergency necessities are kept (and easy to bring outside all at once). On a daily basis, this is kept on the floorboard in the backseat, and easy to move to the back cargo area of my SUV if I’m making room for passengers:

(Image: not the tidiest backseat, but always packed with the crucials…)

Winter Car Kit

As mentioned previously, certain essentials don’t need to take up space in your vehicle year-round. When winter hits, though, get the lake chairs & flip flops out and move the winter gear in.

Some “winter staples” such as a shovel, heavy gloves, and warm clothes are just good to keep year-round, especially if they’re tucked neatly out of the way.

For example, a small step stool kept folded under the driver’s seat helps me reach the windshield wipers in the winter, or snow piled on the hood… But then it gets used all summer too on camping trips. I mean, don’t skimp on your supplies in the name of being a minimalist.

(Images: Winter car kit essentials)

My daily work commute calls for driving through a mostly 2-lane pass, which is infamously treacherous in the winter. The recovery sleds pictured above (there are 2, one behind the other) go under stuck wheels that need some traction in order to get out of mud, snow, loose gravel, etc…

I’ve never had to use these, but love having them on hand so I don’t have to rely on someone being able to tow me out of a ditch…If they even saw me in the first place.

Bonus: these also work as shovels if you don’t already have one. And because they’re brightly colored, can be seen in poorly-lit or snowy conditions.

FYI, your vehicle’s factory floor mats also provide this traction, as does kitty litter! 

Also pictured above:

1. A cheat sheet on how to use my 4×4’s OFF Road controls (trust me on this, especially if you don’t use all those fancy buttons & knobs on the regular). Refer to your own owner’s manual and make one before it’s too late…mine is in a plastic-sealed bag so it doesn’t get wet & ink-smeared if I’m handling it with wet hands or through tears 😭!
2. I also keep a separate hitch suitable for a recovery, or snap strap. A recovery strap, when secured to another vehicle, can pull one or the other of you out. Do not use a ball hitch for this, in any configuration! – see more here). I tow a camper with my vehicle, so just keep a ball hitch in all the time…unless it NEEDS to be switched out, such as in this case. 
3. A warm winter down feather jacket, a beanie, and fur-lined gloves…all tucked in a zippered bag that smashes down to nothing and lives underneath the driver’s side seat. 

Trauma Kit For Car

I know we already talked about first aid kits, but come on. You need more than band-aids. Seriously.

If you’re reading this article, you’re aiming to be prepared. That said, you need to prepare for, at the very least, a seven-minute wait for some trained help to arrive to you. This is IF someone called for emergency services the minute your emergency, accident, or traumatic incident occurred.

Do you know you can bleed to death in three? 

If you haven’t seen my post on emergency kits, click here.

In the meantime, here’s a visual of what’s included in our trauma bag bleeding control kit:

(Images: My personal trauma bag, stocked with bleeding control supplies)

Uncontrolled bleeding is the most preventable cause of death from traumatic injuries.

If you don’t know how to stop an actively bleeding and life-threatening injury, click here to learn more!

I keep my life-saving supplies visible & accessible to (almost) all passengers:

(Image: Taken from driver’s seat)

Dog Car Kit

I don’t have a separate first aid or trauma kit for our dogs…I pack plenty in ours for any injuries they might get too.

I do make sure I have spare leashes, water, bowls, poop bags, and a designated space I know they’ll fit. 

This dog bed lives in the back of my 4-Runner. I also have 2 – 50ft. heavy-duty cables that stay secured to the D-rings in the back cargo space. I initially put these in on a camping trip, but left them in and now always have a hands-free way to keep them secured closeby:

(Images: My cargo space has gone to the dogs…)

Conclusion:

Everyone’s car kit “essentials” are going to vary according to individual circumstances, seasons, activities, weather, and passengers. But a basic roadside emergency kit is a must-have for every driver.

Are you prepared?

This post was all about the car kit essentials.