The Ultimate Emergency Kit for Your Car
A lot is being said in the media about emergency preparedness at home; governments are recommending we all have a 72-hour kit for each household member. But what happens if an emergency hits when you're driving somewhere?
Whether you're stranded on a motorway for 12 hours because of a major incident, or stuck because of snow or flooding in the middle of nowhere at 4 am, you should have supplies with you to keep yourself safe and comfortable while you wait for help to arrive. Space is limited, so aside from useful car-related items, what are you going to include to take care of you and your passengers?
Taking Care of You
1. Water
An essential part of any kit, safe drinking water should be a priority. Keep an unopened two-litre bottle in the trunk, along with a LifeSaver Lifeline and Squeeze Pouch Bundle for back-up, in case it runs out. Fill the pouches from the nearest fresh water (or snow) and filter as you need it.
2. Blanket
Look for one that's large enough to keep you warm but that packs down to a manageable size. You want something that will provide warmth and comfort should you need to sleep in the car, and that is water-resistant if you need to wait outside your car. We like the Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket, available in a range of funky colours and a choice of sizes.
3. Food
If Kendal Mint Cake isn't your thing, then anything with high carbs, high protein, high calories, and a long 'Use By' date will do the job. Pack a handful of cereal or granola bars in a selection of flavours from brands like Nature Valley and Eat Natural, or some Soreen mini malt loaf bars which still taste good even if they get squashed.
4. First Aid Kit
So unless you're dealing with an actual accident, a conventional first aid kit won't be much use in a car (has anyone actually used a foil blanket?), but a small bag with painkillers, diarrhoea relief, breath mints, chapstick and any regular medication that you can't skip could be very helpful. Plasters won't hurt either.
5. Wet Wipes
A pack of wet wipes will solve lots of little problems, from cleaning dirty hands and accidental drink spills, to freshening up after a night sleeping rough, or cleaning up after a dash behind the nearest bush. Just because you've been stuck in the car all night doesn't mean you have to abandon all basic hygiene!
6. Tissues
When a wet wipe won't do, a tissue will. Perfect for blowing noses and clearing foggy windows.
7. Phone Charger
Chances are you have a charger cable in your car, but if you can't switch on the engine and leave it running, it won't be much use. Keep a fully charged power bank handy in case you need it.
8. Entertainment
If you've still got internet signal and enough charge on your phone and power bank, you can while away an hour or two doom scrolling, playing solitaire or watching a film. Best to take backup though - a puzzle book, favourite novel or a book of trivia - anything that will reduce boredom while you wait. We like the Beyond Bored Adult Activity Book from Brass Monkey. A notebook and pen might be useful too. Better pack something for kids too if you have them.
9. Torch
Invaluable when looking for the aforementioned bush. A wind-up one will remove the worry about leaking batteries. Check out the POWERplus Seahorse Wind-Up and Solar Powered Torch.
10. Wind-Up Radio
Stay positive listening to music, sports, and storm or traffic updates. The AlerSkyo Emergency Radio includes a torch, powerbank, and an alarm, so one gadget could cover three essentials.
Taking Care of the Car
When it comes to taking care of the car, there are of course a few essentials that should help if it lets you down, and it would be remiss if we didn't mention them:
- Jumper cables or a portable jump starter
- Tyre inflator or puncture repair kit
- Tow rope
- Duct tape
- Cable ties
- Spare fuses
- Ice scraper (winter)
- Small bottle of screen wash
So there you have it. A self-care emergency kit that should easily fit in a tote bag and will make a very distressing time a little bit more bearable.
What would you include in your car emergency pack?
