If you drive a small car in a winter climate, here are some items to consider having in your winter preparedness/survival car kit. This assumes, of course, that you have a working spare tire and a car jack.

Personal Warmth and Traction

Extra Clothing Items

• Dry Set of Clothing: I tend to stash old clothes—that I wouldn’t wear any more when I’m stylin’ around Idaho impressing the potato farmers—in a shoulder bag in the trunk.
  
• Scarf, Balaclava, or Winter Cap: A bare head like mine loses a lot of heat in subzero temperatures.
• Thermal Undergarments
• Thermal Socks
• Extra Coat and Gloves: It’s warm in the car, so just in case you were to neglect your coat while walking between your car and the grocery store you still have one on hand if that quick trip turns nasty.

Consider: You Might Be Out There Awhile

• Datrex 3600: Vacuum sealed emergency rations like Datrex would be good to have in case you are in the middle of nowhere and it will be awhile until help arrives or you can extricate yourself. Datrex rations are supposed to avoid inducing thirst.
• Other High-Energy Snacks: Snickers and trail mix are my preferences.

Consider: You Might Have to Walk

• Snow Trax/STABILicers/GripOns: If you put them on right, they will dramatically improve your traction, making you less vulnerable to slips, trips, and falls. There’s no need to add a broken or sprained ankle, hip, or wrist to your already bad day.

Consider: You Might Have to Dig

• Small Metal Shovel: I recommend a flat end for ice-breaking.

Consider: You Might Get a Boo-Boo

• First Aid Kit: Include bandages, antibiotic ointment, and a pain reliever of choice. Minor cuts, scrapes, and muscle soreness are covered. You can get fancy if you want, but addressing breaks and sprains out of a first aid kit would be tough under the best of circumstances.

Consider: You Might Break Down in a Bad Area

• Self-Defense Tool of Choice: Whether a gun, knife, pepper spray, or flashlight, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Automotive Care and Feeding

• Extra Set of Lugnuts: A complete set of extra lugnuts would be useful if you happened to lose your entire hubcap full of lugnuts in the snow while changing your tire.
• Quart of Oil
• Z-Chain: For small vehicles with low clearances in the tire well, Z-Chain is designed to provide extra traction like traditional tire chains. No chain tensioners or other gear is required. Everything comes in the bag.
• Cell Phone Car Charger: When you’re stuck on the road, Murphy’s Law dictates that you will have forgotten to charge your phone. Keeping a charger for your model cell phone would be good for such situations.
• Flashlight: Can be used for signalling or for inspecting problems.

Other Items to Consider

• Automotive Fuses: I did not include this item on the list above because, in all my years of driving, I have never had a fuse fail on a car built after 1990 unless someone has messed with the electrical system. Of course, if these two assumptions do not apply to you, it would be prudent to include some automotive fuses in your kit.
• Sand or Salt: I did not include these because we are considering a small vehicle and they are bulky. Yet, if you can fit them, it would be beneficial if you get stuck.
• Antifreeze, Brake Fluid, Power Steering Fluid, Transmission Fluid, etc.: A complete backup for all automotive fluids would be very space intensive. I have needed these fluids on an emergency basis so seldom, that I have not included them. However, if your situation is different (and you have the space), consider keeping one or all of these fluids on hand.
• Extra Boots: Again, we’re trying to keep space to a minimum.
• Spare Belts: This would be great for a Sunday breakdown, but know what tools you’ll need to replace your belt and keep those as well.

Final Note: Practice Those Skills

Do you know how to make minor repairs? Have you actually put those chains on your tires so you KNOW they fit? Do your loved ones have these items and know these skills?

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