DIY Emergency Kit for Your Car

Today, as the snow is falling again in Atlanta (and elsewhere throughout the south), I thought I’d show you an important project you can easily put together: a DIY emergency kit for your car.

Atlanta is famous for a lot of reasons…but one reason is that, in 2014, we were hit with a major snow and ice storm. Because Southerners and Georgians are generally made fun of for cancelling, well, everything, when a snowflake falls, the powers-that-be decided to wait to close the city down. Well, they waited too long and it was a mess. Thousands ended up stranded on the highways and side roads; many slept in schools, grocery stores, hardware stores, or gas stations.

Hopefully, we learned our lesson from Snowmageddon 2014, but it’s always good to be prepared in case bad weather hits. Here are my tips for putting together a DIY emergency kit for your car.

What you should include in an emergency kit for your car:

(Note: I’ve included affiliate links below. You can see my full disclosure policy HERE.)

– at least one blanket that could keep you warm (I have a fleece one, like this: All-Purpose Travel Blanket);

– several bottles of water;

– nonperishable food (I like keeping granola bars or Lara Bars in the car);

– a winter coat, if you aren’t wearing one, a hat, and gloves;

– an extra pair of socks (which can be used as mittens in a pinch!);

– an ice scraper or de-icing spray, like this: Ice-Off Windshield Spray De-Icer;

– emergency money in your glove compartment or console. Just bury $20 in there, just for emergencies. Have small bills and some change.

– a flashlight with working batteries in it or one that works by cranking, like this one, or on solar power, like this one: Waterproof Hand Crank & Solar Powered LED Flashlight;

– a first aid kit, which you can create yourself or buy one like this Road Trip First Aid Kit;

– charger for your cell phone that will plug into outlets in your car;

– reflective hazard triangle or sign or flares, like these: AAA Emergency Warning Triangle;

– jumper cables;

– spare tire and tools to change a flat. I also have an air compressor pump (it’s about the size of a small shoe box), like this one – Campbell Hausfeld 12-Volt Inflator and Worklight – in my car that allows me to add air to my tires if needed.

If you belong to AAA or other roadside assistance organization, make sure you have their information/phone number with you. Also make sure you have your insurance card in your glove compartment, in case of an accident; you are required to have it in your car anyway.

You can order roadside assistance kits that have some of these items in them already.

Or, to make it easier for you, I’ve gathered links to some of the products on Amazon here:

What would you add? The important thing is to be prepared. Be safe out there!!