As the holidays get closer, many of us will be preparing for winter driving trips. As families prepare to travel sometimes long distances to be together, being prepared is essential to having a safe driving trip.
Even if you don’t need these, chances are someone else on the road might.
Put these in your emergency kit:
- flashlight
- flares or reflective triangles
- first aid kit
- basic tools
- extra oil
- extra windshield washer fluid
- strips of carpet or cat litter (to create traction)
- ice scraper and brush
- towing gear
- jumper cables
- bottles of water and a few snacks
- phone charger
- several large thick trash bags (one for each person)
Why the trash bags?
Sounds crazy, but if your car slides off the road and is buried in the snow and you have to wait for rescue, you and the occupants of the car can get inside these for warmth. Trash bags are easy to fold into compact squares and slide into a zip lock bag. They don’t take up much room, but they provide more warmth than a heavier blanket.
Of course, tossing a blanket in the emergency kit isn’t a bad idea either, if you have the room.
Program local safety numbers into your phone
Also, do a little research for the local road safety numbers and program them into your phone. If you’re traveling across multiple states, look those up and put them in your phone too. You may not have adequate service to look them up if you’re traveling in a no-service area, so having them pre-programmed into your phone can be a boon if you need rescue.
