Insurance

You never know when you'll need an Emergency Kit.

Make sure you have everything you need to keep you safe.

Before drivers had roadside assistance, cell phones and GPS systems to depend on in emergency situations there was the emergency car kit.

Once a staple in car safety, emergency kits have been replaced by the accessibility and comfort created by technological resources increasingly available to drivers. With help only a touch of a button away, it is to no avail that many drivers are now forgoing the traditional emergency kit.

While the latest safety approaches are proving to be beneficial, drivers must take into account that cell phones can die or lose signal and therefore must be prepared to help themselves. By purchasing an emergency kit or creating one from scratch, drivers can provide themselves and passengers with care while other assistance is on its way.

When creating your own emergency kit, the following is a list of items that are beneficial to have in emergency situations:

• Emergency blankets
• Warm clothing (hat, gloves, boots)
• Flashlight with back up batteries
• Ice scraper
• Collapsible shovel
• First Aid Kit (bandages, instant ice and heat packs, scissors, aspirin, gauze, adhesive tape, antiseptic cream, first aid instructions)
• Jumper Cables
• Multi purpose tool, or any of the following; a flat head screwdriver, pillers, vise grips, adjustable wrench, lug nut wrench or tire iron
• Working jack
• Spare tire
• Tire inflator & tire pressure gauge
• Electrical Tape
• Rags
• Bottled Water and energy bars

For those with limited resources and trunk space there are a number of compact emergency kits available for purchase, such as CAA's Road Hazard Survival Kits available at all CAA retail locations. For even greater peace of mind there is CAA roadside assistance, which will provide you and your car with the assistance and care that even the best packed emergency kit won't provide.

Sign up for a CAA membership

The best addition to even the most equipped emergency kit. Join Now

See Also

• What to do in an emergency