Imagine you’re happily driving down the road when your car decides to break down.

You manage to pull over to the side of the street, but your car dies shortly after. It’s cold, you have no heat, and you’re starting to get hungry.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to avoid this situation, or at least make sure you’re not cold and hungry while it’s happening. That’s where a driver’s emergency roadside safety kit comes in, which can be easily stored in the trunk of your car. 

The basic emergency kit:

• A tow rope or chain

• Booster cables

• A small tool kit

• A fire extinguisher

• Road flares or warning lights

• Bright cloth to use as a flag

• A “call police” sign

• A flashlight and extra batteries (preferably LED, they consume less power and last longer)

• Extra external battery for your phone (charged)

• Water bottles

• Snacks/energy bars

• Bottle of windshield washer fluid

• First aid kit

• Road maps (in some areas GPSs and phones do not have reception)

• Gloves (always handy if you have to change a tire)

• Pocket knife

• Wet wipes (always handy to clean your hands and freshen up)

During Winter, add:

When the weather cools down, it’s all the more dangerous to be stranded in your car. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have a kit prepared in the summer, but with freezing cold temperatures to combat in the winter, it’s especially important to have some items prepared to keep you warm. Here are a few items that could come in handy should you be trapped in a snowstorm:

• Matches or lighter

• A blanket

• Extra clothing and footwear

• Emergency food (non-perishable, such as canned fruit, nut, candy, etc.)

• Thermos bottle with hot drinks (preferably non alcoholic)

• A can opener

• A candle and a deep can to place it in when it’s lit

• Tire chains

• Cat litter (for traction if you get stuck on ice or in the snow)

• Windshield scrapper