What to Keep in Your Car for Emergencies
A basic emergency kit covers the same ground for any driver, but a few items matter more once you're older and some things are worth checking before every trip.
A short list covers most situations
Keep a flashlight, a phone charger that works from the car, water, a blanket, a first aid kit, jumper cables, a small tool kit, and whatever medications you take daily. Add a reflective triangle or flares so other drivers can see you if you're pulled over on a shoulder.
For an older driver, the medication and the phone charger matter more than the rest. A breakdown that takes an hour to resolve is a different problem if you're due for a dose of something, or if your phone is at ten percent when you need to call for help. The other items are about being seen and staying warm or hydrated until help arrives.
What you take for health changes what you pack
If you take daily medication, keep a backup supply in the car, separate from what you carry on you. Heat and cold both affect some medications, so check whether yours needs to stay out of a hot trunk in summer or a freezing one in winter.
If you wear hearing aids or need glasses to drive, a spare set of batteries or an old pair of glasses in the glove compartment solves a problem that's easy to ignore until it happens on the road.
A card with your medications, any conditions, and an emergency contact is worth keeping in the glove compartment too. If you're not the one who can explain your situation when help arrives, that card does it for you.
None of this needs to be elaborate. A small bag that gets checked and refreshed twice a year does more than a kit assembled once and forgotten.
Where you drive changes what's worth keeping
Someone who mostly drives short trips around town needs less than someone who drives long distances or through areas with poor cell coverage. If you regularly drive somewhere remote, add extra water, a blanket rated for real cold, and a paper map, since a phone with no signal is no help at all.
Winter driving changes the list again. Sand or cat litter for traction, an ice scraper, and warmer blankets belong in the trunk from the first cold snap through the last one, not just when a storm is forecast.
If your car is older, a basic tool kit and a tire gauge matter more, since older vehicles are more likely to have something come loose or a tire lose pressure gradually. If your car is newer and under warranty, some of what used to be a DIY fix now means calling for a tow instead, which is worth knowing before you're on the shoulder deciding what to do.
Questions people ask about this
Does my car insurance cover roadside assistance?
Some policies include it and some don't, so check your declarations page or ask your insurer directly. If it's not on your policy, you can usually add it, and some insurers offer it as a low-cost option separate from the rest of your coverage.
What should I do if my car breaks down on the highway?
Get as far onto the shoulder as you can, turn on your hazard lights, and stay inside the car with your seatbelt on if you're in a traffic lane, since being struck while standing outside the car is a real risk. Call for help once you're safely stopped, and set out a reflective triangle behind the car if you have one and it's safe to place it.
Should I carry a fire extinguisher in my car?
It's not required in most states but some drivers choose to keep a small one in the trunk. Check your state's requirements if you're unsure, since a few states do have rules for commercial vehicles that don't apply to personal cars.
How often should I check or replace my car emergency kit?
Check it twice a year, often around the time you change your clocks, since that's an easy date to remember. Replace water before it's been sitting more than a year, check that batteries still work, and swap out any medication that's close to its expiration date.
Does AAA or roadside assistance cost less than adding it to my insurance?
It depends on the provider and what's included, so compare what each one covers rather than just the cost. Some insurers bundle roadside assistance with other discounts, so it's worth asking your insurer what they offer before signing up for a separate membership.
If roadside assistance isn't already part of your coverage, see what adding it would mean for your policy.
This week, pull together what you already have in the car and check the dates on anything perishable, like water or medication. Add a card with your medications and an emergency contact if you don't already keep one in the glove compartment. Ask your insurer whether roadside assistance is included in your policy, and if it isn't, ask what it would cost to add. If you drive somewhere remote or expect winter weather soon, add what that specifically calls for now rather than waiting for the first cold morning or long trip.
