Emergency Car Kit

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The following list of supplies kept in your emergency car kit will serve you well if an adverse situation arises in your automobile.

Basic Auto Emergency Kit

Keep these items in a bag in your trunk:

• Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries
• Blanket
• Booster cables
• Bottled water and nonperishable high-energy foods such as granola bars, raisins, and peanut butter
• Fire extinguisher (5-lb., A-B-C type)
• First-aid kit and manual
• Maps, shovel, flares
• Tire repair kit and pump
• Spare tire

For Winter Driving

• A snowbrush and ice scraper
• A bag of sand to help with traction
• Extra windshield fluid
• A blanket, just in case
• Old winter boots and clothes for the trunk

A Few Winter Driving Tips

• Keep your gas tank filled above halfway to avoid emergencies in bad weather.
• Stuck on the ice without sand or cat litter? In a pinch, you can take the mats out of your car, place them next to the tires, and slowly inch the car onto and across the mats.
• To restore proper windshield wiper blade action, smooth the rubber blades with fine sandpaper to remove any grit and pits.
• Gently rub a small, moistened, cloth bag of iodized salt on the outside of your windshield to prevent the ice and snow from sticking.
• Fog-proof your mirrors and the inside of your windshields with shaving cream. Spray & wipe if off with paper towels.
• Avoid driving when you have the flu, which can reduce your reaction time almost six times as much as moderate alcohol intake. 

If it’s balmy all winter where you live, be thankful that you don’t need all of this stuff! To see if snow and ice are predicted in your area, see your free two-month long-range forecasts or check out your local 7-day forecasts.