Road trips - pack for safety
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Are you headed out on a road trip? Road trips are great fun - until something goes wrong. In addition to the items you pack for your trip, following is a list of items to consider keeping in your car, so that you are prepared in case of an emergency - car accident, car breaks down, you get stuck, blizzard, or other situation. Hazardous driving conditions can happen when we least expect it. This list is meant as a guideline, items vary depending on the weather and individuals.
- 72 hour kit
- AM/FM radio
- Auto insurance card
- Baby or child items, if needed – diapers, wipes, formula, snacks, bottle, clothes, toys
- Bags for messes - garbage bags, grocery bags, zip loc bags
- Blankets
- Boots
- Breaker bar to loosen lug nuts
- Broom to push off excessive snow
- Bungee cord
- Camera – to take pictures in case of an accident
- Can opener
- Cash - $200 cash – small bills, and spare change & coins (tow trucks, pay phone, tolls)
- Cell phone
- Cell phone – extra battery
- Cell phone charger
- Chains (for snow)
- Change of clothes, layers
- Coats for each family member - rain jacket, warm clothes
- Cones, orange
- Cups - paper or plastic cups
- Duct tape
- Electrical tape
- Fabric - bright color strips - use as flags if needed
- Flag – orange, distress
- Flares
- Entertainment – a good book or magazine
- Fire extinguisher
- First aid kit
- Flares
- Flashlight, fresh batteries
- Food (energy bars, nuts, dried fruit, protein shakes, meal replacement bars, MREs, snacks)
- Gas – keep your tank full – fill when it gets to 1/2
- Gloves – work gloves, and warm/winter gloves
- GPS unit
- Hats, gloves, scarf, warm items
- Jack
- Jumper cables
- Map, atlas – of your local area, and anywhere traveling
- Matches (waterproof), lighter and candle
- Medicines, prescriptions
- Mirror
- Newspaper, magazines, lumber or something to start a fire with
- Over the counter medications
- Paper & pen – take notes, exchange # if accident, write message if leave car in emergency
- Phone numbers of family, insurance, physician
- Phone book
- Pocket knife
- Rain poncho
- Road side emergency kit
- Rope
- Safety vest - to wear while working on vehicle near traffic
- Sand – for traction
- Scissors
- Shovel – collapsible or small
- Siphon pump - to transfer gas from one vehicle to another
- Snow scraper
- Snow shovel
- Sunglasses
- Survival items, in case of an emergency
- Tire inflator
- Tissues, paper towels, toilet paper
- Tire, spare and tools
- Tool kit – screwdrivers, pliers, hammer
- Towel
- Umbrella
- Warming pads
- Watch
- Water for radiator
- Water to drink
- Whistle
- Winter clothing if possible cold weather
- Wiper fluid
- Wrench
Don't forget to keep someone updated of your travel plans, and check in with them!
