Top 10 Items to Include in Your Car Emergency Kit

Did you know? About 69 million vehicles break down in the US each year. That's about one out of three drivers having trouble.

Plus, there's never a convenient time for your car to break down. But when it inevitably does, you can lessen the hassle with a complete car emergency kit.

In this post, we'll talk about the top items you need to include in your car emergency kit.

Top 10 Items You Must Have In Your Car Emergency Kit

Headlamp
Hand Crank Radio
Road Flares
Walkie-Talkie
Emergency Poncho
Security Alarm
Survival Bag
First Aid Kit
Fire Spray
Escape Tool

While prepacked car emergency kits exist, they're not always the best way to go.

Many prepacked kits leave out essential items or include things you may never use. Others just cost too much. So, it’s better to choose each item and create a car emergency kit on your own.

Here are the items your car emergency kit must include:

1. Headlamp

It's bad enough for you to get stuck on the road with a broken car. Fixing your vehicle with one hand while holding a flashlight with the other is worse.

The solution? Use a headlamp with an elastic strap-on that allows both of your hands to work.

Include a small, lightweight waterproof headlamp in your vehicle's emergency kit. Make sure it's fully charged if it's rechargeable. Otherwise, have a battery pack in case it goes out.

We think rechargeable headlamps are the best since you won't catch a dead battery as long as you have a charger.

2. Hand Crank Radio

The hand crank radio may look antique, but these devices are more relevant than ever. Since hand crank radios rely on cranking for power, they're also highly reliable. Some models include flashlights, making them multi-purpose must-haves.

In addition, emergency authorities see hand crank radios as emergency kit essentials. The best ones provide NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) weather alerts, light, and sustainable power.

In an age where people seem helpless without smartphones, these radios can be a beacon of hope during roadside breakdowns and accidents.

Plus, a hand crank radio directs you where to go if you need to walk to a safe location after a disaster. These handy emergency radios emit emergency broadcasts after a disaster as well.

Hence, it's better to have hand crank radios than regular ones. It’s because regular battery-operated emergency radios have many limitations, including short-lived batteries.

3. Road Flares

You must warn other drivers to avoid accidents when your car gets stranded. Contrary to popular belief, battery-powered road flares are better than magnesium ones.

For one, you don't need to light battery-powered road flares. You also don't have to deal with the smoke from magnesium flares. Lastly, you don't have to worry about having a fire hazard near your vehicle.

In addition, placing road flares on your car or the road helps prevent accidents and prepares you for blizzards and other disasters that will leave you stranded on the road.

Prepared Hero's Starlight Road Flares is the best way to go if you're looking for reliable road flares. Trusted by several emergency services, these magnetic road flares help prevent accidents, damages, and deaths.

They're also crushproof, waterproof, weatherproof, and easy to spot (can be seen from a mile away at night).

The magnets let you put the flares on your car, letting other drivers see your vehicle more easily. Plus, putting them on the road lets other drivers know there's a stranded vehicle. This allows them to slow down and avoid hitting your car by accident.

4. Walkie-Talkie

Imagine this: you're driving when an earthquake, tornado, or ice storm hits. Then, the lines go down, and worse, your phone dies.

Do you have a backup if this happens?

This is where a walkie-talkie comes in. But as helpful as these devices are, they're bulky, too. Unfortunately, putting a walkie-talkie in your vehicle emergency kit is a hassle.

But thanks to innovation, you can now get a walkie-talkie that's as thin as a smartphone.

The PowerTalkieX Radio Set lets you communicate through a three-mile distance and 25-floor buildings with a crisp voice and noise reduction tech. To top it off, PowerTalkieX comes with a hands-free set for easy communication.

It's also straightforward to use― you'll know how to use it within minutes of unboxing.

Lastly, the PowerTalkieX Radio Set provides up to 15 days of communication and lasts for 18 to 24 months in storage after one charge.

5. Emergency Poncho

Unexpected breakdowns are never fun. Making repairs in a rain or ice storm is the worst.

Prepare yourself for this scenario by including a poncho in your car emergency kit.

This lightweight one-size-fits-all emergency poncho protects you from the rain. It also prevents hypothermia by retaining up to 90% of your body heat.

Plus, it's thin enough to fit in your car emergency kit or pocket. This poncho also has a bright orange color that lets rescuers find you easily.

Prepared Hero's Hero Poncho will keep you dry while changing a tire or making other vehicle repairs. You can also use it as a drop cloth to kneel on.

Keeping a Hero Poncho in your car emergency kit is one of the most important safety decisions you can make. When you're in a blizzard or storm, things can go from good to bad in seconds. This poncho can make the difference between survival and death in a cold weather emergency.

6. Security Alarm

car emergency kit personal defense alarm

Another important tool you should have in your car emergency kit is a portable security alarm. While your car security alarm protects your vehicle, a portable one protects you.

Contrary to popular belief, security alarms aren't just for fighting thieves. You can also use one to signal rescuers when you're stuck in the middle of nowhere.

This police-recommended Hero Defense Alarm includes a screeching siren and blinding light that'll make attackers flee.

Seriously, everyone should have it― not just in their car emergency kit― but in their daily bag as well.

7. Survival Bag

On to the next crucial tool for your car emergency kit: a survival bag.

A survival bag can save your life if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

Prepared Hero's Survival Bag provides ample coverage. Yet, it’s small and compact enough to fit your car emergency kit or pocket.

The bag is also made of waterproof and windproof materials that reflect 90% of the heat to you, preventing hypothermia in freezing weather. On top of that, this survival bag is bright orange, which lets rescuers find you easily.

Plus, if you're stuck and have to sleep in your car during a snowstorm, a survival bag will keep you warm and safe from strong wind and snow.

8. First Aid Kit

Have a first aid kit ready when someone gets injured during a road trip.

A proper first aid kit should have everything you need to take care of minor cuts and scrapes while on the road.

It should also include items that remedy injuries or wounds until people get expert medical assistance.

A first aid kit should include bandages, alcohol, gauze pads, pain relievers, tweezers, cold compress, and ointment.

9. Fire Spray

According to the National Fire Protection Association, vehicle fires caused 4.5 times the number of deaths as non-residential structure fires.

Since cars contain volatile liquids, fabrics, plastics, and other flammable materials, a spark can turn into an inferno in minutes. Given this, you should include a fire spray in your car emergency kit.

While fire extinguishers help, they can be expensive, heavy, and hard to store. The residue from the fire extinguisher is also hard to clean up after a fire. Unless you have a lot of space in your trunk, consider getting a fire spray instead.

The Hero Fire Spray is an easy-to-use alternative to most fire extinguisher types. It also helps you deal with minor fire accidents and stop them before they turn into bigger disasters.

Plus, the fire spray is biodegradable and non-toxic. Unlike a fire extinguisher, you can safely use it around your family and pets. It’s also eco-friendly, so you're taking part in saving the environment.

Remember, you must extinguish a car fire as soon as you notice one. If the fire doesn't stop growing, get far away from the vehicle.

10. Escape Tool

A car sinks within two minutes on average. This leaves little time for you to escape after a water crash.

Plus, water pressure makes windows and doors impossible to open. Electric windows also malfunction when the wiring gets wet.

In these cases, breaking a window is your only way out. However, you can’t do it without the right tools. For this reason, you must include an escape tool in your car emergency kit.

Rescue professionals recommend having at least one escape tool that can cut through jammed seatbelts and break side windows in your car.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should you put in a car emergency kit?

You should put the following in a car emergency kit:

Headlamp
Hand crank radio
Road flares
Walkie-talkie
Emergency poncho
Security alarm
Survival bag
First aid kit
Fire spray
Escape tool

Are car emergency kits worth it?

Yes, car emergency kits are worth it. Car emergency kits keep you safe, especially if you regularly drive in harsh conditions or always go on road trips. These kits help you prevent accidents and treat injuries.

What is the hardest thing to replace in a car?

The hardest thing to replace in a car is the spark plug. While replacing a spark plug is easy, accessing it makes this task hard. Spark plugs are usually tucked in a hard-to-access location in the engine bay.

What is the best protection in a car crash?

The best protection in a car crash is airbags. Airbags inflate when an electronic sensor detects a collision. They then cushion the impact and prevent injury.

What color car gets in the most accidents?

Black cars get in the most accidents, according to research. One study states that you're 47% more likely to get into an accident if you drive a black vehicle.