Everything You Should Keep In Your Car Emergency Kit While On A Road Trip
By Tori Jane|Published May 23, 2024
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
Few things are more all-American than a road trip. There’s just something about hopping in the car – with a destination planned or not – and going. Not sure where this road leads? Better check it out. Never been to that small town? Let’s do it. But, as you probably know, there’s no guarantee that the trip will go without a hitch; sometimes, things happen that we don’t plan on – but we can plan for this to happen, giving us an edge. So, in honor of the never-ending delights that are road trips, we’ve gone ahead and put together the ultimate car emergency kit for your next road trip – and all the ones after. Let’s dig in!
Every vehicle needs an emergency kit ready to tackle anything that the road throws at it. From flashlights and emergency blankets to road flares and more, here are a few ideas for your ultimate car emergency kit essentials:
1. Lylting Rechargeable LED Flashlight – High Lumens
If you travel often to rural areas with little to no lighting – like the woods, state and National Parks, and other such destinations – you might find yourself a little uneasy about just how dark things can get, especially on a moonless night. Even worse, if you break down in a place like this, the dark can be almost suffocating – but not with this awesome, 990,000-lumen flashlight by Lylting. It’s so bright you could probably flash SOS at an airliner with this thing (don’t do that though... seriously).
Coming in on this list as #2 but truly sitting in spot #1 in terms of importance is good old-fashioned drinking water. While you can carry any water you’d like with you, this brand is BPA-free and made with plant-based materials, so you don’t need to worry about harmful chemicals eventually seeping into it. Always remember to change the water out yearly if you don’t end up using it.
Imagine this: you’re in the middle of nowhere, having the time of your life, when you suddenly realize something disastrous: your car won’t start. Even more annoyingly, there’s nobody around to help give you a jump. In this case, check out this handy-dandy portable jump-starter that you can bring everywhere and get that boost you need to be back on your way (and hopefully to an auto parts shop to replace that battery).
Absolutely no car emergency kit is complete without the good ol’ first aid kit, and THIS first aid kit is THE first aid kit to end ALL first aid kits. This awesome kit is more than just some bandages and gauze; this kit includes tools you’ll need to survive and thrive no matter where you might break down or need a little help. You can get an average first aid kit... or you can get the ultimate one.
In this day and age, tech is everything – and it can definitely get you out of a sticky situation should one ever arise. If you’re anything like us, you often find yourself adventuring in remote and far-away places. Should there ever be issues while you’re out and about, these tech gadgets will come in very, very handy!
We’ve literally all been there: You’re on the road, camping, or hiking, and you realize your phone is almost dead. Great. Now what? Well, if you’ve got a portable charger on hand, you can juice your phone right back up while on the trail or, goodness forbid, in the event of auto issues in the middle of who-knows-where. This tiny battery pack fits in a pocket and makes for the perfect fix.
Need a little extra juice that the cute above-mentioned charger can’t quite provide? Tend to live that van life or enjoy car camping a lot? Consider keeping a portable power station in your vehicle for long trips to rural, remote areas. This baby will charge your phone, your laptop, and other items. This is more than just an emergency-centric item; this one’s great to have for an array of situations. You’ll be ready for literally everything!
Imagine this: You’ve been driving around somewhere in the sticks and, wouldn’t you know it, you’ve got a problem that’s going to require you to call for help in some way, be it from a tow truck, the forest service, or anyone else. There’s very little cell signal, so now what? If your phone doesn’t have satellite capabilities, you might want to invest in a cell signal booster for your vehicle. The handiness is off the charts.
One of the biggest concerns most folks have when they’re planning on a road trip is simple: safety. Getting there and back in one happy, safe piece is definitely an understandable concern, so we’ve put together a few ideas to keep you as safe as possible while on the road. A few road trip safety essentials include items like:
Flares are incredibly helpful in a myriad of emergency situations, rain or shine. Should anything happen while you’re on the road – from an accident to perhaps hitting an unfortunate critter – flares will be imperative in making sure other drivers see you and know you’re there. Best of all, these flares are digital – so, no risk of accidental burns or being extinguished in the rain.
This is the second First Aid kit to make this list, and for good reason: when it comes to all things medical, this one’s going to come in handy. Whereas the other kit is a ready-for-anything situation with survival tools galore, this one is full of helpful handies like gauze, painkillers, band-aids, wound wraps, antiseptic towelettes, and SO much more. From cactus needles to nastier cuts and scrapes, you’ll be set with this 299-piece set.
Imagine this: You’re road-tripping when suddenly you manage to get stuck in something – the mud, snow, a flat tire situation. You know... the basics. Let’s say you have to wait overnight for help to arrive (it’s happened to us!) and it’s a bit cold. It’s always, always a good idea to keep a sleeping bag in your vehicle, especially if you’re one of the kind of folks who meanders just about everywhere you can any time you can. Stay safe, warm, and dry in this wonderful adult sleeping bag that’s sure to keep you thru the night no matter the time of year.
So far, we’ve gone over ten awesome must-haves in terms of the ultimate car emergency kit, but there are a few more items we’d like to recommend just in case – hey, you never know! Here are a couple of other must-haves for any road tripper’s emergency car kits – things you might have never considered before!
Fun fact! This one’s a staff pick. Wisconsin writer Ben Jones strongly recommends this headlamp for all things road trip and outdoors. Find your way around unfamiliar places in the dark like a pro with this spelunker-worthy headlamp. With a 36-hour burn time, you know this should last you for a while so you’ll be ready for anything.
If there’s anything that’s incredibly important to sustain life, it’s water. No matter what’s in your emergency car kit, you won’t get very far without water – and let’s say you prefer not to store water in your vehicle (or perhaps you just don't have the room). That’s where having the CamelBak Eddy comes in; with this bad boy, you can turn most lakes, rivers, or ponds into safe drinking water with the LifeStraw filter included in it. Turn “stranded” into “just chilling ‘til help arrives” with tools like this one.
It’s every off-roader's biggest inconvenience: getting stuck in the mud and/or snow. So, what’s one supposed to do if they get stuck and/or stranded in a place where there’s nobody available to pull them out? Easy – with these handy traction mats, you’ll be able to work your way out of snow and mud without external help just like the pros. Never get stuck in the mud again!
Last but certainly not least on this list – make sure you’ve got an up-to-date, good old-fashioned road atlas for those trips where you’ll find yourself without cell service and never lose your way again. The best one is the one that National Geographic puts out, though going with any of the classics is also a sure shot. Why get lost when you lose cell service? No need now!
So, there you have it: 14 awesome ideas for the ultimate car emergency kit. With these things packed away in your ride, you’re sure to be able to breeze through any emergency or inclement situation with ease. Everyone will think of you when they need help – so be ready to get phone calls from friends! But it’s alright – now, you’re ready for anything. Next up, check out all the fun stuff on our ultimate Road Trip Packing List.
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