Car Emergency Kit: What to Keep in Your Vehicle
A car emergency kit needs jumper cables, warning triangles, a flashlight, first aid, water, food, blankets and a phone charger.
A car emergency kit is the one piece of everyday carry that rides with you every mile, even on the days you forget it is back there. I carry a lot of gear for a living, and the rule is the same for a truck as it is for a pocket: carry what solves the problems you are most likely to have, and know how to use it.
So instead of one more shopping list, here is what Ready.gov, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and AAA each tell you to carry, side by side, so you can see what every source agrees on and build the kit once.
Safety note. This article is general information, not professional safety or medical training. A first aid kit and a tourniquet are only as good as the training behind them, so take a first aid and bleeding control class. Never run an engine in a closed space or with a blocked exhaust, because carbon monoxide can kill. In a real emergency, call 911 first.
Car Emergency Kit at a Glance
- All three sources list: jumper cables, warning flares or triangles, a phone charger, blankets, an ice scraper and sand or kitty litter.
- NHTSA adds: a first aid kit that includes a tourniquet, plus water, food and medicine.
- AAA adds: tire inflator, tire repair kit, tow strap, reflective vest and a Class B or C fire extinguisher.
- If you get stranded: stay with the car, keep the exhaust pipe clear, and run the engine only in short spells.
What Should Be in a Car Emergency Kit?
Start with what the agencies agree on. Here is every item from the three lists, with the sources that recommend it.
| Item | Ready.gov | NHTSA | AAA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumper cables or jump starter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flares or reflective triangles | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Phone charger | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blankets | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ice scraper | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sand or kitty litter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flashlight | No | Yes | Yes |
| First aid kit | No | Yes, plus tourniquet | Yes |
| Water, food and medicine | No | Yes | Yes |
| Snow shovel | No | Yes | Yes |
| Tire inflator, repair kit, jack | No | No | Yes |
| Tow strap, gloves, vest | No | No | Yes |
| Fire extinguisher (B or C) | No | No | Yes |
| Multitool | No | No | Yes |
| Paper map | Yes | No | No |
From Ready.gov’s car safety page, NHTSA’s winter driving tips and AAA’s car emergency kit list (November 2024).
The Core Kit: What Every Source Agrees On
Six items show up on all three lists, and they cover the breakdowns that leave you sitting on a shoulder: a dead battery, a car that will not get out of a ditch, and waiting in the cold for help.
- Jumper cables or a jump starter. AAA lists a compact jump starter as the alternative to cables. A jump starter does not need a second car, which matters on an empty road.
- Flares or reflective triangles. AAA specifies DOT-approved flares or warning triangles. They let other drivers see you before they are on top of you.
- A phone charger. Your phone is your call for help. Keep a car charger in the kit, not just the one plugged into the dash.
- Blankets. NHTSA lists them “for protection from the cold.”
- An ice scraper. You can’t drive what you can’t see out of.
- Sand or kitty litter. NHTSA calls it “abrasive material” in case the vehicle gets stuck. Pour it under the drive wheels for grip.
First Aid, Light and Tools
NHTSA’s list goes one step further than most commercial kits: it says your first aid kit should include a tourniquet. Look at what a cheap roadside kit actually puts in the first aid pouch before you count on it. If a crash is the emergency, a bandage is not going to stop serious bleeding. Buy a real tourniquet and take a class on how to use it. Our look at the Mountain Ankle IFAK trauma kit shows what a compact trauma kit looks like.
For light, a flashlight with spare batteries is on both the NHTSA and AAA lists. Check the light and its batteries every time you check the rest of the kit. Our flashlight runtime calculator shows how long a light will actually run on the battery you pick.
AAA also lists a multitool, work gloves and a tire kit. If you do not already have a multitool riding in the truck, our guide to the best EDC multitools compares seven of them.
What to Do If You Get Stranded
NHTSA’s winter guidance is short and worth memorizing:
- Stay with your car and do not overexert yourself.
- Put bright markers on the antenna or windows and keep the dome light on.
- Make sure the exhaust pipe is clear of snow, and run the engine only in short spells, just long enough to stay warm.
- Do not run the car for long periods with the windows up or in an enclosed space.
Ready.gov adds one more for flood season: do not drive through flooded areas. Six inches of water can make a vehicle lose control or stall.
Should You Buy a Prebuilt Kit or Build Your Own?
Either works, as long as the kit covers the list above. Hold any prebuilt kit up against the checklist table and fill in what is missing. The tourniquet, the water and food, the flashlight and the winter gear are the items to look for first. Building your own costs more time, but you know every item in the bag and you know it works.
Whichever way you go, the kit is only half of it. Ready.gov says to keep your gas tank full, put on good winter tires with enough tread, and have a mechanic check the battery, brakes, exhaust, lights, wipers, heater and defroster. The best emergency kit is the one you never have to open.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important things to keep in your car?
The items all three sources agree on: jumper cables or a jump starter, warning flares or triangles, a phone charger, blankets, an ice scraper and sand or kitty litter. Add a first aid kit with a tourniquet, water and food.
What should be in a winter car emergency kit?
NHTSA lists a snow shovel, broom and ice scraper, sand or kitty litter, jumper cables, a flashlight, warning devices, a first aid kit with a tourniquet, blankets, and a phone and charger, water, food and medicine.
How much water should you keep in your car?
AAA’s list for leaving home in a hurry calls for “one gallon of water per person for three days.” For a daily driver, a few bottles you rotate out is a practical start.
What kind of fire extinguisher should you keep in a car?
AAA recommends a Class B or C fire extinguisher.
Build it once, check it twice a year, and keep it where you can reach it. If you want the same thinking for a go bag at home, Popular Outdoorsman has a full bug-out bag checklist, and our own four survival kits guide ties the car kit to the rest of your gear.
Sources: Ready.gov, “Car Safety”; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Winter Driving Tips”; AAA, “Car Emergency Kit: What You Need for Road Trips and Emergencies” (November 11, 2024).
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