Car Emergency Kit: What to Actually Keep in Your Car

You spend hours a week in your car, it's your most likely place to be stranded, and in an emergency it's also your evacuation vehicle. Yet most "car emergency kits" sold online are padded with junk you'll never use. Here's the no-bloat version, based on Ready.gov and AAA — the gear that earns its space.

The core kit (all year)

• Jump pack or jumper cables — a self-contained lithium jump pack also charges phones.
• Phone charger + a charged power bank — your phone is your map, light and lifeline.
• First-aid kit and any personal meds.
• Water and non-perishable snacks — a few bottles and some bars.
• Flashlight or headlamp + spare batteries.
• Reflective triangles or flares — so you're seen before you're hit.
• Tire repair: a working spare + jack, or a plug kit and a 12V inflator.
• Basic tools, duct tape, gloves, a rag, and a paper map of your region.
• Cash in small bills and copies of insurance/registration.

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Winter add-ons (where it gets cold)

• A warm blanket or sleeping bag, hat and gloves, and a spare set of warm clothes.
• Hand warmers, an ice scraper, and a small folding shovel.
• A bag of sand or cat litter for traction under spinning wheels.
• Keep the fuel tank at least half full through winter.

If you're stranded in snow

The instinct to walk for help is usually the wrong one. Instead:

• Stay with the car — it's shelter and far easier for rescuers to spot than a person. Tie something bright to the antenna.
• Run the engine about 10 minutes per hour for heat — but first clear snow from the exhaust pipe and crack a downwind window. A blocked pipe pushes carbon monoxide into the car, which is the real danger here (see carbon-monoxide safety).
• Layer up, keep moving your hands and feet, and conserve phone battery for one good call.

Build it once, check it twice a year, and rotate the water and snacks. For the bag you'd grab leaving the house, see the go-bag guide.

Frequently asked questions

What should be in a car emergency kit?
Jumper cables or a jump pack, a charged power bank, first-aid kit, water and snacks, a flashlight, reflective triangles, tire repair, basic tools, a blanket, and cash. Add winter gear in cold climates. (Ready.gov)

What do I do if I'm stranded in my car in a snowstorm?
Stay with the car, make it visible, and run the engine about 10 minutes per hour for heat — but clear the exhaust pipe of snow and crack a window first, to avoid carbon-monoxide buildup. (AAA / Ready.gov)

Sources: Ready.gov — Car; AAA — Emergency Road Kit; NHTSA — Winter Driving; American Red Cross. Educational reference — not professional advice; for any acute emergency, contact your local emergency number.