Winter Car Emergency Kit Checklist

Before you drive this winter

• Get your car serviced: battery, antifreeze, wipers, lights, brakes and tires.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to prevent fuel line freeze-up and to give you heat if you get stuck.
• Check road conditions and the forecast before you leave, and tell someone your route and arrival time.

Winter car kit checklist

• Snow shovel
• Ice scraper and snow brush
• Sand, road salt or cat litter for traction
• Jumper cables or a portable jump starter
• Flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries
• Blankets or a sleeping bag
• Extra hats, gloves, socks and a warm jacket
• Water and non-perishable snacks
• First aid kit and any needed medications
• Phone charger or power bank
• Emergency flares or reflective warning triangles
• Brightly colored cloth or flag to signal for help
• Hand warmers
• Tow rope or chain

If you get stranded

• Stay with your car unless help is visible and close. A car is easier for rescuers to find, and it gives you shelter.
• Make yourself visible. Tie a bright cloth to the antenna or door, and turn on the dome light at night when the engine is running.
• Run the engine about 10 minutes each hour for heat, with a window cracked slightly.
• Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow. A blocked tailpipe can fill the car with carbon monoxide, which can kill.
• Stay warm and moving. Wrap up in blankets, huddle with passengers, and move your arms and legs to keep blood flowing.
• Drink water and eat snacks to help your body produce heat.

Know the warning signs

Watch everyone in the car for signs of frostbite (numb, white or grayish-yellow skin) and hypothermia (shivering, confusion, slurred speech, drowsiness). Hypothermia is a medical emergency. See our winter storm guide for more.