Advice on small, "realistic" car emergency kit

I’m putting together a little emergency kit for my wife’s car. Something very compact that will reside permanently in the trunk and could come in handy for a common emergency or inconvenience, like a simple break down or a minor injury. It’s not a BOB or a GHB by any means.

She lacks any sort of mechanical experience and would be hard pressed even in changing a tire (although the car itself has a tire jack, a wrench and a full spare, in case she can get outside help), so I don’t see a reason to include any tools to the contents (but feel free to express your dissent if that’s the case).

We live in a suburban area with good cell phone coverage. We have zero chances of being stranded for days in the snow on a mountain road and starve to death, therefore I’m overlooking common “survival” gear and focus instead on items that could help her to safely wait for road assistance to arrive.

My main and most realistic concern is for her to have a break down and be stranded on the side of the road at night, with the danger of being run down by passing vehicles. So I’ve been focusing in covering signaling, visibility and communication.

So far I’ve assembled, in a small red deployment bag:

- LED road flare, the orange disk-shaped kind, with various light and strobe modes. (Chemical road flares are prohibited in my country)
- Reflective blaze orange safety vest.
- WOWTAC A2 flashlight, with the included strap to convert it to a head lamp. Good quality waterproof flashlight with various modes, including strobe.
- Portable battery car jump starter with cables. It’s rechargeable via USB and can double as a power bank to charge USB devices. Can charge a cell phone multiple times (USB charging cable included).
- Pair of work gloves.
- Roll of duct tape (always handy! )
- Medium sized SAK.
- Basic FAK with band aids, gauze pads, bandages, EMT shears, alcohol swabs and painkillers.

Aside from the contents of bag, she always dresses for the weather and keeps an army surplus wool blanket in the trunk.

Any suggestions on changes and additions to the list are most welcome!

I would change the wool blanket into a winter grade sleeping bag. Should be much warmer to sit inside the bag than wrapped in a blanket.

Even in a suburban area, a person will need water with them. I've heard too many stories of people stuck in traffic, they are thirsty and have no access to water.

Jeanette Isabelle

Warning triangles?
Cigarette lighter to USB?

The Wowtac A2 have one of them 18650s with micro USB charge port on them?

Forgot to mention it: a warning triangle is mandatory and a standard issue in every car where I live. Thanks!



Yeah that's the one. Overall I found this flashlight very practical and of excellent quality compared to the price (standard non affiliation disclaimer etc. etc. ...)

Thanks also to Herman30 and Jeanette Isabelle for their suggestions.
Please keep on!

I would toss in a multi tool of some kind - sometimes a screw needs to be tightened or (pliers) a clamp fixed? Also as most break downs seem to be at night an extra flash light couldn't hurt.

I will second Jeanette Isabelle and have a bottle of water along with some hard candy just because it helps pass the time waiting for the tow or help to arrive. Second also on the sleeping bag vs. the blanket but having both would be my go-to.

As we have a dog I've always got an extra leash in the glove box with a small dish for water so the pup can drink too and a few treats. Funny thing is I've used the extra leash several times when I found a stray that needed to be rounded up and taken home.

Paul -

Agree with water and some sort of reasonably nutritious food, probably "wrapper food" like Clif Bars or similar, depending on her preferences. Also second the multitool (actually would be good EDC) plus a very basic tool kit for the good Samaritan assisting her.

Consider thirty feet or so of tow rope?

if she is open to accept the help of a Good Samaritan, a 4 lug tire wrench

I've had to use a 1A10BC dry chemical fire extinguisher on 3 occasions... it was the minimum to just get the fire out... if you deploy with others around, give a warning for them to hold their breath before you discharge

But what about zombies!! I kid. This is a completely practical exercise.

My thoughts:

1. Communications: A spare cell phone with a charger and 911-only capabilities (i.e., no SIM card). Cell phones die, get broken or stolen or left at home. Depending on the jurisdiction, a 911 operator can dispatch more than police/fire/EMS -- provided there is no immediate threat to life, they can direct a tow truck, or get a message to a family member who can respond.

2. Signalling: In the dark, red/amber colours get lost or dismissed by drivers. But nothing, absolutely nothing, cuts through the clutter like a bright white flashing LED light -- day or night. Many lights have this function (lost in the settings). Bright white LED bicycle lights (not button lights) are more foolproof. Practice with your SO how to mount on the vehicle and activate.

3. Agree: drinking water and a few snacks.

4. And more importantly: a pot to [censored] in. Women are incredibly reluctant to squat by the side of the road, especially if there's a line of vehicles. Tell her it's a "trucker's buddy" for you, and clearly mark it as such. Make sure it's smooth on top, wide-mouthed, and has a tight lid.

5. A few cheap, packaged fleece blankets. These are endlessly versatile and useful, to kneel on, sit on, wrap yourself in, etc. etc.. You can also pass them through a mostly-closed window to some panic-stricken or seemily agressive person who is just desperate because their kids are cold. It could potentially defuse an ugly situation.

I have a similar use case for Eldest Offspring. What I was putting together had to fit in a small cargo space underneath the deck of the trunk, in a bag for ease of transport on foot. Some differences:

• Several in our family have had medical training for treating traumatic injuries, so I included a small kit for that even though Eldest has not been so trained
• Included a small power bank, 12V to USB adapter and a spare charging cable
• Included a bottle of water
• Included a multitool with a bit kit
• Included an upgraded lug wrench to make tire changing easier
• Included a roll of self-fusing silicone tape
• Included an assortment of automotive fuses

I would second the 4-way cross bar. I was once stuck in the middle of the night with only the OEM supplied lug wrench, and ended up torquing off two lug nuts. Put a piece of duct tape on the bar that matches her lug nut size.

Example -

https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-...9839&sr=8-6

Seems ok for somebody without mechanical skills.

I do always recommend a short instruction tag for things people rarely use.

Food, water and maybe something extra warm are always nice.

I have LED flares too, but changed my opinion about them over the years. Sticking them on a vehicle if your hazards don’t work, no problems. Putting a few on the ground towards the traffic, with traffic moving. I’ll just stand behind the guardrail. Seen too many crash absorbers with giant warning lights and flashing arrows getting hit.

If you are near the mountains; proper winter tires, snow chains (automatic tensioning models are highly recommended), towstrap, small shovel, mini traction plates.

Sheet of clear plastic, could be a shower curtain liner even. This can be useful if a window gets broken (smash and grab, or the window fails to roll up, etc). Something clear you can tape over the window to keep rain/snow out.

That's a great idea! Never thought of it before but that could really save the day. That and some T-Rex Tape would fix about anything.

I also second the recommendation for a warm sleeping bag. Chains are great. A shovel, traction mats and a four-way wrench are great items even if she's not that mechanically inclined. Always have some tools to self extract even if doing so might require some help from a good Samaritan.

Nice basic kit!

Thanks to everyone who contributed so far!

For those who thoughtfully recommended a 4-way tire wrench, we're good on that side as where I live they are standard issue in almost every car, my wife's included.

We just switched to snow tires for the season, so I think we're good on that part too, since snow is becoming less and less intense and frequent with every year, here in my region.

So far I plan to add, based on your suggestions:

- Bottled water
- A couple energy bars with long shelf life
- A multitool with screw bits

I forgot to mention that DW drives a small hatchback, so cargo space in the trunk is an issue. This has affected some of my choices.

Take for example the wool blanket/sleeping bag dilemma. I agree with those of you who argued that a sleeping bag provides better insulation than a blanket in an emergency situation. But the thing is, I managed to keep the wool blanket in her trunk at all times because it's a multipurpose item that we actually use in many non emergency situations, like lining the bottom of the trunk when we need to load dirty items ecc.
I think I'll have a much harder time convincing my wife to keep in trunk a bulky 4 seasons sleeping bag, "just in case".

I have the feeling that the overall size of the kit will be directly proportional to the chance for said kit to be left at home or been "temporarily" moved to the garage when the need arises to load the trunk with other bulky things. From that derives my initial assumption to limit the entire kit (blanket aside) to the contents of single small bag. Something you barely notice on normal days but is always there when you need it.

Could some items be stored inalternative locations/ - underneath seats, etc...

For folks who are not mechanically inclined, a set of emt scissors might be a good addition, or even replacement for the sak. Knife fetish aside, emt shears are remarkably versatile.

A modest amount of cord or twine would not take up much space.

A fleece jacket, hat and gloves could fit under a seat.

My advice is not gear but rather planning;
- keep the car is good shape
- don't go out in bad weather
- have 3 ways to charge your phone
- let someone know your route
- learn safe driving skills and basic trouble shooting
-pre load appropriate apps; texting, lyft, aaa,local busses and uber


two gear additions
- a sleeping bag
- water

@albusgrammaticus
Can you give any hint about the terrain your wife drive through? Is it flat plain or higher up? Is it a heavily trafficated road or a quiet one?

Something else to consider. If you are storing stuff all over the car, trunk, under the seats, or in the hatch behind the passenger seat. It might be a good idea to put a inventory sheet in an appropriate place that lists where everything is. I'm sure you could find other things to include in the list too.

Yes to all except...professionally, I do not always have the choice to not go out in bad weather. And Eldest Recombinant DNA wouldn’t go out at all for about three months. I might say don’t go out in bad weather unnecessarily. Eldest has also been instructed that until temps are reliably over freezing to not park the car with less than a third of a tank of gas, and to fill up if leaving town regardless of the distance.

Yes. One concern is that Mrs. Magnet or Eldest might find themselves in some kind of difficulty and not know what it is that I have packed for them. Both have been subjected to training on what the kits contain but frankly neither of them are likely to remember.

It is worthwhile to involve the person likely to use this kit in the selection of its contents, rather than just handing it over. It is also a good idea to dust off the kit and use the components once in a while.

An inventory sheet is a good idea. It can also double as a checklist for regular inspections of the stuff.

Two points. First, remember that objects not securely locked in place will become missiles in a car accident and underseat under the drivers seat can impact the pedals even without an accident. Second, you might want to put in a comfortable set of walking shoes. I know you said your wife dresses for the weather, but this is occasionally overlooked.