6 Best Things To Keep in Your Car for Safety and Emergencies

A driving emergency can happen when you least expect it and you’ll never know when your car will break down while driving through an area with no phone reception. Keeping your car stocked with emergency kit essentials can help you navigate through sticky situations. At the same time, you should narrow down your essentials to what’s most important for you and your climate to keep your car from becoming cluttered.

Keep reading to learn what essential things to keep in your car for various scenarios.

On This Page

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  1. Basic Paperwork

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  2. Safety and Survival Kit

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  3. Car Repair Kit

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  4. First Aid Kit

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  5. Electronics

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  6. Tools for Extreme Heat and Cold

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  What To Keep in Your Car for a Long Road Trip

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  FAQs

1. Basic Paperwork

Keeping important paperwork involving your vehicle is useful and often necessary if you get into an accident or are pulled over. Some items you’ll want to store in your car or on your person may include:

• Vehicle registration: If you’re pulled over, you’ll likely need to show proof of your vehicle’s registration. Ensure your registration is current or you could face penalties.
• Proof of insurance: All states except for New Hampshire require drivers to carry minimum car insurance.^[1] If you are pulled over or involved in an accident, you’ll need to produce an insurance card, which should be stored in your glove compartment or some other secure area in your car. While digital copies (usually available via your insurance company’s mobile app) are permitted in every state except New Mexico, you never know if your phone battery will be depleted during an emergency or a prolonged car breakdown.^[2]
• Owner's manual: A car owner's manual can tell you what those dashboard warning lights mean and often has troubleshooting guides that can help you quickly diagnose a problem. If you purchased a used car without an owner’s manual or lost your original, you may be able to find a replacement you can print out online or by contacting the car’s manufacturer.
• Your driver's license: A driver’s license is a requirement any time you get behind the vehicle, and you’ll usually be required to show it to any officer if you’re pulled over or in a collision.
• Medical insurance card: You’ll likely need your health insurance information if you have to stop at a hospital or emergency clinic due to an injury, so it’s a good idea to keep it on you while driving.
• Roadside assistance card: Roadside assistance is often an optional insurance add-on or included with your policy to help you if you’re stuck on the side of the road and need a tow or jumpstart. If you don’t already have this coverage, it may be worth considering for emergencies.

However, there are certain sensitive documents containing personal information that you’ll only want to keep it in your car while you’re actively using it. For example, unless you’re driving to Mexico or Canada, you should leave your passport at home since this is a sensitive document that you do not want stolen if someone breaks into your car. 

2. Safety and Survival Kit

The following may come in handy if you’re stuck in an area for an extended period, such as if your car breaks down, runs out of gas or you need to wait out inclement weather due to lack of visibility for driving:

• Water and food: An insulated bottle that you refill regularly will help make sure you have potable water. Avoid packing perishable food that could damage or stain your car or result in bacteria if left inside too long.
• Blanket: Even warm-weather states can get very cold at night. A blanket is a better alternative to keeping your engine idling for an extended period.
• Work gloves: These can protect your hands if you need to work on your car or remove road obstacles. They can also help keep you warm if you're unexpectedly caught in cold weather.
• Bug spray: This may be a welcome precaution if you’re stuck in an area where mosquitos, black flies or other pests swarm.
• Safety flares or reflectors: When you have to pull over on a dark road or are stuck due to an accident, these can warn approaching traffic to take extra caution when passing you.
• Lighter or matches: A disposable lighter or a box of matches can be a small but valuable item for a light source or even to start a fire if you have to camp by the roadside overnight.
• Multi-tool: These devices can often help with minor repairs or cut through a stuck seatbelt if you have to exit your car quickly.

3. Car Repair Kit

If your car breaks down or won't start, there are a few things you might want to attempt yourself before calling for help. The following might help get you out of car trouble:

• Jumper cables: You'll need these to jumpstart your car’s dead battery. Other drivers are often willing to help those who need a jumpstart, so jumper cables are worth taking for a potential emergency.
• Spare tire: Your car may already have a spare tire hidden in its trunk or attached to the back, but at least 40% of new cars don’t automatically have a spare equipped.^[3] Regardless, if you get a flat tire on the road, having a spare tire and knowing how to change it may be a lifesaver, so it’s worth considering getting one as an emergency backup.
• Tire jack and lug wrench: Alongside a spare tire, a tire jack lets you lift your car off the ground to perform the change while the lug wrench helps you remove and reattach your tire. While some cars include these alongside a spare tire, yours may not come with them, so ensure you’re prepared to replace a flat with the right tools ahead of time.
• Tire pressure gauge: A pressure gauge will tell you your tire's pressure in pounds-per-square-inch (PSI), which you can check to ensure there isn’t a pressure leak. Low tire pressure can cause your tires to have less traction on the road and hamper your steering control, which could result in an accident.
• Fix-a-flat: This aerosol product will inflate your tire with compressed air while injecting adhesive to seal leaks. This may be a viable emergency solution if you're stuck with a flat in the middle of nowhere, but keep in mind it’s a temporary solution that is only set to last up to 100 miles or three days.^[4][5]
• Windshield wiper fluid: This can help keep your windshield clear when driving in dry, dusty conditions or on salt-covered winter roads. Remember that windshield wiper fluid is made of a solvent that helps break down dirt and other particles, meaning regular water won’t have the same effect and isn’t a suitable alternative.
• Duct tape: If you get into a car accident and your bumper is damaged or about to fall off, duct tape can serve as a temporary solution to secure your bumper while you drive it immediately to the nearest repair shop. Just remember: duct tape is not a permanent solution!^[6]

4. First Aid Kit

Many cars come with a basic first aid kit, but you can purchase a premade option or assemble your own. Many first aid kit items' effectiveness is often reduced over time and with exposure to high temperatures, so check the expiration dates and ensure they aren’t left in the hot sun for too long. Here are a few things to have handy for the aches and pains that can come up while traveling in a car:

• Bandages and gauze
• Hand sanitizer
• Antibiotic spray/ointment
• EpiPen
• Tweezers
• Pain relief medication

5. Electronics

Electronics can help us stay connected and access help if you get stuck due to engine failure or an accident, and while you may not want to leave some expensive electronics like a cell phone in your car at all times, here are a few you should keep in your car while driving:

• Cell phone: Cell phones can be a lifesaver if you’re in an emergency and need to call for help. They can also provide directions to a nearby gas station or hotel and help you search for tips and answers to problems if you have internet service.
• Phone charger: The last thing you want to happen is to be stranded due to an accident or car failure with no means to call for assistance, so you might want to have your phone plugged in while driving.
• Phone battery backup: If your car can’t charge your phone due to a lack of power, a portable battery can be a lifesaver. These devices usually charge your phone or other small devices at least once or more before needing recharging, so remember to keep the backup fully charged before heading onto the road.
• Flashlight: While your smartphone probably has a built-in flashlight, you may want to avoid draining your phone's battery during an emergency. An LED flashlight typically has a longer-lasting battery life, although it may still be worth keeping extra batteries on hand.

6. Tools for Extreme Heat and Cold

Depending on the climate of your area, you may want to carry additional tools that help you deal with issues specific to extreme temperatures.

What To Keep in Your Car for Cold Weather

When driving through cold weather, you’ll want to consider a few of these items that might not otherwise be necessary throughout the year:

• Ice scraper: The last thing you want is to leave your parked car and see a coat of ice blocking your windows. An ice scraper can help you clear off the ice and get back on the road if the driving conditions are safe.
• Tire chains: If you’re driving through snow for an extended period, putting tire chains on in advance can help you retain traction and prevent your car from slipping. Ensure you know how to put the chains on your tires correctly and avoid traveling at speeds faster than 30 miles per hour, or they may become loose and lose effectiveness, break and damage your car or fall off.^[7]
• Kitty litter or sand: You can place these materials under your tire if you get stuck in snow or slush to provide extra traction for your tires, helping you move if you get stuck.

What To Keep in Your Car for Hot Weather

Hot weather when driving in the summer or throughout the year may require some special safety considerations in addition to ensuring you have enough water to stay hydrated. Here are a few things to consider when driving during hot weather:

• Working air conditioning: You’ll want to ensure your car’s air conditioning is functioning and at total capacity, especially if you drive extensively in heat. Keep in mind that excess heat could negatively affect your air conditioning’s performance and if this happens, you should get it checked out by a repair shop.^[8]
• Sunscreen: Sunscreen is welcome if you'll be outside in the blazing sun to help protect your body from developing sunburns. However, too high temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of sunscreen, so don’t keep it in your car at all times during hot weather.
• Sunglasses: While windshields can offer protection from the sun’s UV rays by up to 99%, they don’t often prevent the sun's light from potentially blinding you on the road and leading to a possible accident.^[9] The sun is typically out longer during summer, so it’s worth taking precautions to keep your vision clear of the sun when driving.

What To Keep in Your Car for a Long Road Trip

When heading out for a road trip, you’ll likely spend multiple hours, days or longer in your car, and you should be prepared for the long haul with most of the equipment we’ve already discussed. In addition to the above items, you may want to consider the following to bring along with you as well:

• Portable GPS: Many GPS devices don’t rely on cellular service to navigate, and it can be a good backup for telling you where to go without draining your phone battery. This can be particularly useful if traveling through an unknown area where you aren’t sure where the local cell service may be.
• Sleeping gear: Hotels or campsites may not be available depending on your trip’s path, so it’s worth keeping some comfortable pillows, blankets and other sleeping accessories to ensure you’re well-rested when getting back on the road. Keep in mind that not all areas are legal to sleep in your car, even if traveling in an RV, and you may face penalties if caught doing so in certain cities.