Car Winter Safety Kits

Winter is just around the corner and some parts of the United States have already experienced snow.  When the temperatures are freezing, it is no time to be stuck on the side of the road in a car unprepared.  Thus, now is the time to start thinking about a winter safety kit for your car.  What should be packed in a car winter safety kit?  What items are essential to include?

Useful Snow Removal Tools

Snow removal tools aren’t just useful at home, but can be equally as useful in your car winter safety kit.  A shovel is handy in winter safety kits to dig a path for immobile tires, uncover a car that has been snowed under, or to take snow off of the car trunk to reach tools included there.  An ice scraper and brush can be smart to include in a winter safety kit to chip ice off of windshields and side windows.  This increases your visibility, decreasing the possibility of having a winter-related accident and allowing you to get the car unstuck from a winter weather situation.  Jumper Cables are already stored in most cars, but it is a good idea to double check that your car jumper cables are still in the vehicle before the first snow storm hits.  Regular tools such as a hammer, chisel, and tire iron can be useful in winter weather, just as they are in fair weather.  So, don’t forget to include tools and a flashlight as car winter safety kit options.  

Common Sense Items for Car Winter Safety Kits

There are common sense items that should always be stored in cars, but which become even more important when included in car winter safety kits.  One of these items is a cell phone. During a winter storm is the wrong time to be caught without a cell phone to call for help.  If there is an accident or someone is hurt out in a winter storm, a first aid kit becomes an important addition to winter safety kits.  A first aid kit is a common sense item that should always be included in your car glove compartment or trunk, but becomes even more important in a winter dilemma.  Items that provide warmth are also necessities in winter safety kits.  Boots, gloves, a hat and a blanket can make being stranded in a winter storm much more bearable, livable, and survivable.  This is why all four items are listed as necessities on a car winter safety kit check list.  Non-perishable food is also a smart addition to winter safety kits.  Choose food items that can be stored in the car all winter season and not spoil or explode.  Food and drinks are necessary if you are stuck in a snowdrift or on the side of the road for any amount of time.  

More Creative Items for Car Winter Safety Kits

Some items for a winter safety kit might seem less obvious, but can be equally as important to winter safety.  Flares and reflective triangles are useful tools to make sure that stranded cars are visible and buried cars are recognizable.   Both flares and reflective triangles can drastically increase the safety of stranded drivers and are thus essential to winter safety kits.  If your car gets stuck in the snow, traction material such as cat litter or sand is a winter safety kit essential to help get the vehicle unstuck.  Maybe less well known and one of the most creative items in a possible winter safety kit is a coffee can furnace.  Components needed for a coffee can furnace include a metal coffee can.  Many coffee manufacturers have gone to a plastic container, so if a metal can cannot be found, a paint can may be substituted.  Into the can, insert a thick roll of toilet paper with the cardboard tube removed and pour a large amount of rubbing alcohol over the paper.  Finally, a lighter or matches will be needed to start the coffee can furnace.  As with all combustible items, please use caution and light only in a well-ventilated area.