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What supplies should you keep in your car? What if you get a flat tire, get stranded in a ditch or see a disabled car on the breakdown lane?
This article outlines the major components of a car's preparedness assets.
35 Items to Put in Your Car Today
- spare tire
- tire air pump (like this one)
- tire wrench
- jumper cables (basic cables here)
- windshield wiper fluid
- ice scraper
- quart of oil
- funnel
- rags
- antifreeze
- complete change of clothes for each family member
- pair of boots + sneakers
- hat, scarf, mittens, gloves
- sweater
- snow jacket
- snow pants
- shirt (long + short sleeve)
- underwear, socks
- diapers + wipes (if necessary) + small stuffed animal (for kid's morale)
- small general purpose shovel
- 2 regular blankets (you can never have enough blankets, even small ones like these)
- 1 heated blanket (I love mine!)
- sunscreen
- bug spray
- sunglasses
- knife (this knife has a seat-belt cutter and window-smashing end)
- GPS ( + charger)
- phone charger
- Protein bars (tasty non-melting ones)
- paper towels + wet wipes + tissues
- plastic bags (grocery bags)
- sleeping bag (a warm one like this one)
- cash
- maps
- 72-Hr Bag or Get Home Bag
The 72-Hr Bag
Don't have a 72-hr bag yet? learn about it here: 4 Steps to Building a Better 72-Hr Bag
Here are some elements that are especially important for the car.
72-hr Pack
- mylar emergency blankets
- fire items (lighters, candles, etc)
- MRE's (ready to eat foods)
- Medical kit (band-aids, wipes, etc) (pre-assembled one)
- glowsticks + flashlight
- spare batteries
- hand crack radio
- water bottle (my go-to bottle)
- work gloves
- duct tape
What do you keep in your car that you couldn't live without? Thanks for stopping by!
Hungry for more? Learn more:
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I would add water and cups
Nancy,
That is a good idea. Water can be tricky to store in your car since it can’t be kept in plastic in hot cars. The heat from cars can cause the plastics to break down and leach chemicals into the water. It should be stored in glass containers, or containers designed for this purpose during the summer. In the winter, be sure to leave space for expansion so it won’t crack while frozen. Another option is to always remember to take the water out of the car and return it for your next trip. Thanks for reading and thinking about your car’s preparedness.
~Lauren
Definitely, several components in a vehicle must be kept ready for your survival. Any malfunction to these parts can be considered as a threat to you and to the vehicle itself. The author here has described thirty-five components. It’s okay. Honestly, I have not seen all these thoroughly as I always insist on regular checks and well maintenance. The owner of the vehicle should be responsible for any issue in the vehicle. Regular maintenance comes in handy as it keeps the problems at bay.