How to Make an Emergency Roadside Kit for your vehicle

Everyone should have an emergency roadside kit. It could help you in case of an emergency, if you are stranded or in the event your car breaks down. This kit is especially handy if you are caught in a blizzard or go into the ditch.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plastic tote or box
• flares or small orange cones
• non-perishable food items
• matches
• water
• energy drink such as Gatorade or Powerade
• winter clothing
• flashlight
• shovel
• ashes, litter or sand
• blanket
• disposable camera
• pen & paper

1. Get a plastic tote or box together for putting items together for your emergency kit.

2. Gather your food & drink items. You will need non-perishable food items that you can easily eat such as canned meats (think Vienna sausages), granola bars, energy bars, candy, and other packaged items. For drinks include water (at least a gallon jug) and a few bottles of an energy drink such as Powerade or Gatorade. These will keep you more hydrated than water if you need them.

3. Get some matches and put them in something that they cannot get wet in such as a plastic container or zip lock baggie. Also gather flares or orange cones. These will be handy if you need to warn someone that you are stopped. Flares are especially handy if you are stranded in a more remote area. Buy extra flares so you have a few more than you think you may need, you never know, I always think it's better to be safe than sorry. (Sometimes candle are a nice thing too, if you need to save battery power with your vehicle and need some light, get a candle that is in a jar with a lid for your tote.)

4. Put in the tote a flashlight and make sure there are good batteries in it, check this a couple of times each year. If you are in the dark this could be a lifesaver. Also gather a disposable camera for taking photos in case of an accident and a pen and paper to document any information you made need if you get into an accident such as another person's insurance information.

5. The last thing for your tote should be a warm blanket and some winter clothing if you live where there are cold winters or plan on traveling into this type of climate. By warm clothes I mean gloves, a hat, ski or snow pants, neck gator or scarf and some warm socks and boots. Don't be skimpy, pack more than what you think you may need. Things like ears, noses and fingers and toes can get frost bite FAST when exposed to the elements and so packing things that will cover these areas is really important as is keeping your core warm. You can never pack too much warm gear. Make sure your boots are ones that don't make your feet cold fast and that they fit. Nothing would be worse than being stranded in a blizzard and your boots don't fit or aren't warm enough.

6. When your tote is full you should also just have some more emergency items in your trunk or back of your van or truck. These items include a shovel for digging yourself out of mud or snow. And also something to give you some traction such as ashes, (I know it may sound odd but ashes from a fireplace or fire pit put in an old coffee can and sprinkled under the tire or by the track marks when you are stuck can get you out of of bind more times than not by giving you traction) kitty litter or sand.

Tips & Warnings

• AAA or any type of roadside service is a great gift for anyone. (yourself included!) It can be a lifesaver with tows, lock outs and other emergency roadside problems.
• Keep track of where you are on the road in the event that you need to call someone for help so you can tell them approximately where you are.
• Make sure to check your emergency kit every 6 months or so to make sure what you have in there is still good such as the matches, flares or food. Or to add anything more you might feel is necessary.
• Always fill your vehicle up with fuel at the 1/2 way mark. That way you should always have enough fuel in the event you get stranded and need the fuel for your heater to run or your air to cool you.