subject: Winter Safety Kits: The Basics [print this page] Nobody likes to be sitting on the side of the road, but it does and can happen to anyone at any time. Regardless of the cause of the problem, you will need to find a way to secure assistance and try to remain calm and be patient while waiting for that help to arrive. Roadside assistance from companies such as AAA provide a good resource to call for help, but if you are prepared, you may be able to get yourself through this setback and get back on the road as soon as possible. Winter safety kits can help you accomplish this while keeping your companions and you as comfortable as possible. You should have a safety kit at your disposal at all times when traveling during the winter months, whether it is for long-distance travel or for shopping sprees in-town.
What You Should Include
The purpose of this kit is to provide you with the necessities to keep you comfortable until you get back on the road. With this in mind, your kit does not need to be loaded down with gadgets and gizmos. The first thing you should make sure you have is a fully stocked first aid kit. When you have to use anything out of it, be sure to replenish the stock as soon as possible. You should have a few blankets, at least one for each passenger to keep warm. Include a flashlight and a few bottles of water. Other things you should include is a small toolkit that should have a lug wrench, tire gauge, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, and an spare fully-charged cell phone battery. You should also make sure that your cell phone is also charged to full capacity before exiting your home.
What You Can Include, but It's Not Necessary
There are other things you can include in your safety kit that you may not need, but you may find that you want to include them. You can include a few extra hats and gloves to provide additional warmth. You can even include some chemical warmer packs that provide warmth that is generated by the chemical reaction that occurs when you squeeze them to break the capsule that is suspended in gel. If you live in areas that have a lot of snow, you may want to add a small shovel and a small bag of kitty litter or sand. The litter will provide some traction underneath the tires if you are ever stuck in a show drift. If you have small children, you may want to include a couple of books or toys to keep the children occupied while you wait to get back on the road.
Things You Should Leave at Home
There are things that many people take with them on road trips that should not be included in a winter safety kit. You should not include any device that requires electricity to operate. You can bring your laptop, e-reader, tablet, or ultra-book with you, but they should not be considered emergency items. Since you will be in the car, you will not have access to outlets; therefore, those devices are useless. You should not be tempted to include a large assortment of tools and other items that will create additional unnecessary weight for the car. If the car is stuck in snow, carrying the extra weight will make it more difficult to free the car. Being sensible about the items you include in your safety kit will make roadside emergencies a little more bearable.
