Create your personalized Car or Truck Emergency Kit List based on your own situation. Above and beyond considering car breakdowns and accidents, find the unique items that are most relevant for you and your loved ones and make your DIY Car Emergency Kit.

Uniquely, this will help you examine what factors you should consider and prepare for.

Where you frequent:

• What weather emergencies may be relevant, in your neighborhood but also for the activities you do?
• And do you live in an area prone to hurricanes, wild fires, cold Winter conditions, blizzards, icy roads, Summer heat or are you concerned about social unrest, you may want to prepare a “jump bag” (or “bug out bag”) from your own clothing, toiletries, medications, etc. to be able to evacuate quickly and with the items you really need, not just the ones you thought of during an evacuation when you may be feeling less clear about what to pack.

Who you are:

• Are you a busy mom or dad who shuttle children around, you’ll want to consider both functional and soothing items to have at hand for children.
• Caretakers or people who drive seniors or more vulnerable people should consider to have the appropriate extra medical tools or medications at hand.
• And what about new drivers? Are you newer to driving and haven’t yet set up your car emergency kit? Have you headed off to college, the military or to a new home? Now is the time to get a kit that will make you ready for anything.

What you do:

• Pet guardians, especially those who have their pet with them in the car, go to dog parks or out for walks should prepare to care for their “fur babies” and the mischief they sometimes find.
• Sports enthusiasts, hikers, campers, skiers, walks in the park are all activities that prepping in advance can support.
• Those who go on road trips or travel distances to visit friends family or for activities need special self-stable food and water in the case of getting stranded for a prolonged period.

You’ll explore what is right for you, find checklists for items you may want, learn the secret compartments in your car that may be hiding emergency supplies already, have resource lists of free apps and recommended kits, and consider how you can help others while you are at it.

The Video that takes you through the planning process and shows you available resources is below:

1. Plan for Your Risk

The days of a car emergency kit simply being jumper cables, tire changing tools and a small mechanics toolkit are over. In our modern life, we use our car for so many things. Road conditions and design have also changed. Unfortunately, a lot of emergency kits designed for the car miss out on these important changes.

Preparing for your needs, how you use the car, the people who are near you, your daily activities, and the impact of your region and community will give you the confidence that you are READY FOR ANYTHING.

1. Car Breakdown

This is the main occasion where the traditional roadside car emergency kit is useful. Have a traditional roadside emergency kit for those car breakdown emergencies – jumper cables, spare tire changing tools & spare tire, and any “fiddling thing” that may be unique to your vehicle. But you need more than that.

A critical things you need to do if your car breaks-down or is forced to stop away from home (e.g. hit a rock or ran out of petrol/gas) are to:

• BE SEEN to keep safe – the car, you, and all people in the vehicle
• GET HELP or FIX IT

So consider having the following in your car, SUV, RV or truck:

• Battery powered flares
• High visibility vest for all people in the car
• Phone charging cord (your phone is your #1 emergency safety item to get you help)
• Phone back-up battery (your phone may need to be charged for a long time to aid others to find you and for you to stay informed about when you will be back up and running)
• Roadside car emergency kit – jumper cables, spare tire changing tools & spare tire

2. Accident

For an accident, the same needs apply as a car breakdown, but with some added needs. So BE SEEN and GET HELP, as above. But in addition, you’ll want to provide RAPID MEDICAL ATTENTION and have INSURANCE and ACCIDENT REPORTS at hand.

For RAPID MEDICAL ATTENTION, you need more than a simple First Aid Kit that normally focuses on very minor injuries. The goal is to have at hand what you will need to keep someone alive and stabilize them until medical help arrives. For this need, get a Robust First Aid Kit that is also well organized to help you to find what you need fast. It may just save your life.

Also, keep First Aid tips at hand. A First Aid card is often provided in kits or perhaps even easier to find during an emergency download the Free App from Red Cross on First Aid and always have it handy in your phone. They have amazing other apps as well, so choose the ones that suit your needs. Red Cross have an app for teaching kids emergency preparedness, First Aid for Pets, Emergency Advice and even specific apps for Tornados, Hurricane, Earthquakes, and Floods. Amazing resources! Download them now, as mobile towers often go down during emergencies.

Just in case you are injured, prepare now by having an Emergency Contact Card in your wallet or phone. For Emergency Contact and Critical Medical Information in your phone, find the “Health” app that came with your phone . Fill in the Emergency Contact name and phone number and any important life-saving medical information, such as allergies, medications and any important health conditions. (instructions at this link) Medical workers can swipe and open this one page and see just the critical life-saving information even when your phone is locked.

You may also require your Car Insurance Card and Local Accident Reporting One-Pager. Make sure those are with you at all times in your vehicle.

3. Weather Emergency

Weather emergencies come in all types but have similar characteristics that you need to prepare for. A serious weather condition can appear suddenly, such as a tornado or ice storm. Or they can catch you by surprise, as things worsen while you were out in difficult weather, during a longer more remote drive, or in a less familiar place such as if you are out for a day skiing or site seeing in the desert.

The commonality is that you often become stranded. And because weather impacts a large area, you are probably only one vehicle amongst many that have an emergency need. To make it worse, often emergency help cannot safely come to get you until after the serious weather has passed and been cleared.

Survive the weather conditions

Suriving the weather conditions is two fold. First, you must prepare to deal with the actual weather conditions. This means preparing for extreme cold and heat and knowing how to take shelter or avoid the dangers of the weather (for example, take shelter from a tornado, avoid a flood plain, keep away from falling trees in high wind, etc.). And the Second, you need to be prepared for the possibility of not being rescued or back to normal conditions for days (so food, water and cash are key).

To prepare to survive the weather, have the following:

Brave the weather outside to handle urgent tasks

You may need to actually brave the weather outside. This can happen if you need to move things or fix a situation. For example, you may need to dig yourself out of a snow drift or move a small fallen tree out of your way. Floods and rain also provide dangerous situations, where you may need to drive or flee on foot to higher ground.

So in addition to other weather survival items, make sure to include:

• Rain poncho
• Work gloves
• Whistle, in case you become lost or stuck
• High visibility vest for anytime you or others leave the vehicle

Prep to THRIVE

Any emergency is stressful, and a weather emergency adds the probability of being stranded for a long time. Waiting while stuck is both anxiety provoking and very boring. Making efforts to keep a positive attitude, have comforting items, and having engaging and fun activities will help you and your loved ones thrive through the crisis.

Keep a positive attitude, as much as possible. You have prepared well. Be confident that you will be fine in the future. Keep the mood fun and optimistic for your own sake and anyone with you. Sing songs, tell silly jokes, do interactive games and enrichment together, read to each other, tell stories, think about or share things you want to do in the future once this emergency has passed. Also, switch up the seating position in the car over time. Perhaps sit together snuggled up.

4. Emergency in Daily Life

Step four is to take a moment and think about your daily lifestyle. Where you normally go. Who you normally see not only in your car, but who do you see when you are out and about. Which part of the community do you interact with? The thinking here is for you to consider WHO you may want to prepare for, in addition to yourself.

The most obvious people to prepare for would be anyone else in your household, especially children or spouse. Now consider who else you visit – friends, family. Where else do you meet regularly with groups or the community? Do you drive around with your dog sometimes? Let’s prepare appropriately for any needs they have.

Needs to consider are:

• Number of people you may have in your car at maximum capacity. You’ll want to prepare to have enough supplies for everyone. Thus, consider if you have enough high visibility vests, blankets, etc.
• Special needs of anyone with whom you regularly have contact. Are there allergies, medications, or medical and comfort items that you may want to keep on hand for them?
• Wet wipes and disinfecting wipes can come in particularly handy if you are out with children or doing active things.
• Pet items, like a dog bowl, bottled water, extra leash, towel (for wiping down muddy feet, etc.). And if they are with you a lot or go out to dog parks or for walks, consider also including a pet emergency kit, dog food, treats and a favorite toy. If they are with you during an emergency, they will benefit from similar survival and comfort needs as the human family members.

5. Crisis Related to Your Activities, Region, and Society

Now let’s dig deep into your activities. These could be sports, hobbies or places that you go often. And think about your less frequent excursions, such as camping, skiing, hiking, visiting distant relatives/friends, road trips, distant shopping excursions, etc. Really take some time to consider all the things you’ve done in the past year and anything different you plan to do in the coming year.

Sports

Anything sports related for you, your kids or those around you, may bring up other ideas of what would be supportive to have handy in the car. For example, if you have a wonky knee, keeping a knee brace in the car could feel great after sport or exercise. Perhaps sports tape would help, to wrap an ankle, wrist or other sore joint. Keep plasters/band-aids handy to “kiss the boo-boos” of little ones and sooth them after a fall in sports. Choose what is most relevant for you.

Outdoors

Outdoor activities like hiking, camping and even walking in parks, put you into contact with new “risks”. There is the sport element, where sports tape or ankle braces may be handy. Potential risk of falling on unstable ground. There is the potential for more cuts, injuries, bug bites and even snack bites. Having a robust hiking first aid kit is an excellent choice for anyone how loves the outdoors. Also consider if you will be in an area where you want to protect against ticks or mosquitos, so having deet or Deep Woods OFF may be useful.

Travel and more

Explore any other travel, hobbies, and other activities that come to mind. For travel that involves long drives, make sure that you have an extra robust car emergency kit, especially preparing for any weather conditions you may encounter. For other hobbies and activities, think about what may support you to be safe and comfortable to do those activities. Add them to you list to add to your car emergency kit.

Natural disasters and societal issues prevalent in your area or areas of travel

Wildfires, hurricanes/monsoons, floods, earthquakes, tornados, and even social unrest, crime or rioting are rare. But when they happen, they could often mean you need to evacuate immediately. You may also live in an area where power outages are far too common, and you like to leave your home to be more comfortable elsewhere during those times. In all these cases, and more, consider preparing a “Jump Bag” (or “Bug Out Bag”) for yourself.

A Jump Bag is basically a weekender bag powered-up a notch. Easy to prepare, it can be a relief to have ready if an urgent issue arises. Pack up a backpack or sturdy bag with the following for three days of these supplies:

• clothes
• comfortable shoes
• toiletries
• medications
• cash
• copies of insurance, identification, emergency contact list & important papers
• hand crank radio, with phone charger adaptor
• long- shelf life granola bars or other snacks

Prepare thoughtfully for the activities you do and the natural world and society around you. These items will likely be the ones you find most comforting to have ready and at hand, should you need them.

2. Check what You Have Already (you may be surprised!)

You may already be making a mental note of the items you already have at home. That is great! Use what you have. You may also have things you are not aware of yet, so let’s check further.

Vehicle manufacturers often include car emergency gear in hidden compartments in the car, SUV, RV or truck. Go to your vehicle and check. Now, if you can … you can keep reading this on your phone screen! 👍

Most often, you will find a hidden compartment in your trunk/bonnet. Commonly, it is under the mat in the bottom of the trunk. Lift it up and see what you find. Also check for side panels in your trunk, if you see small handles, look inside. Sometimes these are simply access to your tail lights, but occasionally you will find emergency equipment tucked in there.

What is included or not varies wildly by country and can vary by vehicle make and model, too. So definitely check your car today or tomorrow to see what you have. Familiarize yourself with the items – open any kits to see what is in there, set up any visibility triangles, try on high vis vests. Also, make sure you know if you have run-flat tires or need a spare tire. If you need a spare, keep it well inflated (check it at least once per year).

Also, be aware of what gaps in your emergency needs that you have. Perhaps you find a first aid kit, like I did, but that it is insufficient for the needs you’ve identified, so take note of the items that are missing.

3. Fill the Gaps Now

You are now thinking about a Car Emergency Kit and have checklists of items that are important for you. There is no time like the present to fill those gaps. And putting things off often means it may not get done in time. So prepare your kit today or tomorrow. Gather together the things you have at hand. Buy the things you don’t have handy.

The checklist may seem long, but many emergency kits will cover most of the items, if you choose the right kits. Below are the kits I have personally bought and found to be excellent. These will give you an idea of what you can choose. Buy whatever suits your needs and covers off the items on your emergency checklist the best.

These are Amazon associate links, so if you buy from these hot links, I truly appreciate your support.

If there are other items you need, the items that are hot linked in the checklists go to the recommended product for that item. Other hot links go to valuable additional resources and knowledge if you want to dig deeper.

The special needs, activity prep, and comfort and enrichment items, you likely have at home already. So just gather these up and pack them into a sturdy bag placed in your trunk. Done and dusted!

4. Help Loved-Ones Prep

And finally, you have done most of the hard work already, by researching emergency kits and preparing a list of what you need. Share that work to support your loved ones. Most people have not properly prepared their car for urgent issues that arise. Consider gifting a car emergency kit to your loved ones:

• Ask your loved ones to fill in the Emergency Contact Information in their phone Health app
• Suggest they download the first aid and local emergency and weather apps
• Gift a comprehensive first aid kit for their home, if they don’t have one already
• Prepare and send a relevant car emergency kit for your loved ones.

Of course, you will hope they never need to use it, but when they do, what a meaningful, supportive gift you gave.

What’s Next?

Make sure your At Home Emergency Preparedness is fully done, check Ready and Thriving Emergency Prep page to confirm and look for a checklist and resources. Pet guardians, watch the Pet Emergency Prep video and read the article.

Subscribe to Ready and Thriving YouTube channel to get any new, relevant videos in your YouTube feed. Bookmark readyandthriving.com and keep checking back for great new resources on Emergency Preparedness and Organization Tips that enrich your life every day.

Prepare Well. Live Well.