Winter car emergency kit: what to keep in your car

Why the car matters in a winter storm

Ready.gov says: "Winter storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion." The National Weather Service says ice "can disrupt communications and power for days while utility companies repair extensive damage," and that "Bridges and overpasses are particularly dangerous because they freeze before other surfaces." If you're stuck on a road like that, what's already in your car is what you have.

The winter car checklist

Ready.gov says to "Create an emergency supply kit for your car. Include jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water and non-perishable snacks. Keep a full tank of gas." Its car safety page adds flares or a reflective triangle, an ice scraper, a car cell phone charger, a blanket, a map, and "Cat litter or sand (for better tire traction)".

• Jumper cables
• Sand or cat litter
• Flashlight and spare batteries
• Warm clothes, hats and gloves
• Blankets
• Bottled water
• Non-perishable snacks
• Flares or a reflective triangle
• Ice scraper
• Car phone charger (or a charged power bank)
• A paper map
• A full tank of gas

Why the full tank: Ready.gov says, "A full tank will also keep the fuel line from freezing."

Before you drive

• Drive only if you have to. Ready.gov says: "In bad weather drive only if absolutely necessary."
• Check the forecast and roads. Ready.gov says to "listen to the radio or television for up-to-date weather forecasts and road conditions."
• Turn off cruise control on ice and snow. Ready.gov says to "Disable your vehicle's cruise control when driving on slippery, icy or snowy roads," because if you skid, "the cruise control will accelerate to maintain your vehicle's speed."
• Watch for black ice. The National Weather Service calls black ice "a deadly driving hazard" that "cannot easily be seen."

If you get stuck in snow

• Stay in the car. Ready.gov says: "If trapped in your car, then stay inside." The National Weather Service says: "Stay in the vehicle!"
• Run the engine only in short bursts. The National Weather Service says to run the motor "about 10 minutes each hour for heat," and "While running the motor, open the window a little for fresh air to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning." CDC gives the same advice: run the motor and heater for about 10 minutes per hour, with one window opened slightly.
• Keep the exhaust pipe clear. The National Weather Service says: "Clear snow from the exhaust pipe to avoid gas poisoning." CDC says to make sure snow is not blocking the exhaust pipe, to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Be visible. The National Weather Service says to "Turn on the dome light at night when running the engine."
• If a power line falls on your car, Ready.gov says you "are at risk of electrical shock. Stay inside until a trained person removes the wire."
• Know the signs of hypothermia and frostbite. See power outage in winter. CDC says hypothermia is a medical emergency: get medical attention immediately.

Holiday road trips

Before a long drive over the holidays:

• Tell someone your route and when you expect to arrive.
• Charge your phone and a power bank before you leave.
• Check the National Weather Service forecast for every stretch of your route at weather.gov.
• Leaving the house empty? See leaving home for the holidays.
• Flying or taking the train instead? See holiday travel in a winter storm.

Buy / Borrow / Skip

Most of the checklist is already in your home. Here's what's worth buying, what to borrow, and what to leave out.

• Buy: a jump starter, a headlamp or flashlight with spare batteries, a power bank for each phone, bottled water, and a name-brand first-aid kit.
• Borrow: jumper cables from a neighbor; blankets and warm clothes from your closet.
• Skip: candles as heat or light, relying on the car for heat (CDC says: "Don't rely on a car to provide enough heat."), and "survival kit" fear bundles.