Winter Emergency Kit: 15 Things to Keep in Your Car

A breakdown in winter is a different animal. This kit turns it into an inconvenience instead of an emergency.

Winter emergency supplies laid out in the open trunk of a snow-covered car

The kit

Warm blanket (or sleeping bag)
Extra gloves, hat and socks
Flashlight + spare batteries
Phone charger (car + portable battery)
Jumper cables or a portable jump starter
Ice scraper + snow brush
Small folding shovel
Bag of sand or cat litter (traction)
Water bottles (2) and granola bars
First-aid kit
Reflective triangles or flares
Basic tools + tire pressure gauge
Windshield washer fluid (winter formula)
Hand warmers
A paper list of emergency numbers

Watch: 20 items you need in your winter vehicle kit

What it costs

Most of it you already own. Buying the rest — blanket, shovel, jump starter, sand — runs about $75–$150 total. A portable jump starter ($60–$100) is the single best buy on the list: it starts your car with no second vehicle needed.

Where to keep it

In the trunk, in one bag or box, where you can reach it without unpacking the car. Check it every November — replace dead batteries, stale snacks and frozen water.

If you get stuck

Stay with your car. Run the engine 10–15 minutes per hour for heat, crack a window, and clear the exhaust pipe of snow first — a blocked exhaust pushes carbon monoxide into the cabin.