What should a car emergency kit include?

Ready.gov lists jumper cables, flares or a reflective triangle, an ice scraper, a car phone charger, a blanket, a map, and cat litter or sand for traction. This checklist covers those core items and adds a tire inflator, a headlamp, water and snacks, and a first aid kit. In winter, add the ice scraper and traction material.

Is a jump starter better than jumper cables?

A jump starter starts the car on its own, so it works in an empty lot or on a quiet road. Jumper cables need a second vehicle and a willing driver. Cables are a reasonable backup, and a jump starter is worth building toward.

How often should I check a vehicle emergency kit?

Recharge the jump starter every quarter. Rotate water and snacks every six months; the daylight saving time changes make an easy reminder. Once a year, check first aid dates, replace spare batteries, and inspect the triangles, inflator, and plug kit.

Where should the kit live in the car?

Keep everything in one bag or hard case in the trunk so nothing gets borrowed and forgotten. A compact jump starter, headlamp, and first aid kit can also fit in the glove box.

Does a tire inflator replace a spare tire?

No. An inflator and plug kit handle slow leaks and simple punctures. For anything larger you still need a working spare, so check that it is inflated and that the jack and lug wrench are in the car.

Household Checklist

Vehicle Emergency Kit Checklist. Every item in the trunk bag checked, charged, and current.

A vehicle kit is a maintenance habit as much as a purchase. The jump starter has to hold a charge, the water has to be rotated, and the charger has to be tested. This checklist tracks every item in the trunk bag and when each one needs attention, so the kit works on the day the car does not.

categories in one trunk bag

Quarterly

jump starter recharge

6 months

water and snack rotation

Yearly

first aid, batteries, and triangles

Section 1

Visibility and Safety.

Visibility comes first because the most dangerous part of most breakdowns is standing beside a stopped car. Set out warning before anything else.

Transportation

Carry three reflective warning triangles and an LED road flare

Section 2

Jump Starter.

A dead battery is one of the most common reasons a car will not start. A charged jump starter solves it without waiting for a second vehicle.

Transportation

Keep a charged lithium jump starter in the vehicle, or jumper cables as a backup

Section 3

Tire Repair.

Most flat tires are slow leaks or simple punctures. An inflator and plug kit handle many of them, and a checked spare handles the rest.

Transportation

Pack a 12V tire inflator and a tire plug kit
Confirm spare tire is inflated and jack and lug wrench are located (or stock a tire repair kit)

Section 4

Light.

Roadside problems rarely happen in good light. A headlamp keeps both hands free for the work.

Power and Lighting

Store a headlamp that takes replaceable batteries, plus two spare sets

Section 5

Water and Food.

A long wait is easier with water and something to eat. Keep both sealed and rotate them twice a year.

Food

Keep sealed drinking water and three to five shelf-stable snacks in the kit

Section 6

Communication and Power.

A charged phone is how you call for help. A paper map and a little cash cover the times the phone or the card reader cannot.

Communications

Leave a 12V USB car charger and a short cable in the kit bag
Keep a current paper road atlas or state maps in your vehicle
Tuck a small amount of cash into the kit

Section 7

First Aid.

Roadside repairs produce cuts and scrapes. A compact kit that never leaves the car covers the basics.

Medical

Keep a compact first aid kit in the vehicle and check its dates each year

Section 8

Weather Protection.

Cold and rain turn a short delay into a hard one. Blankets and a poncho weigh almost nothing and take almost no space.

Shelter and Safety

Pack two emergency blankets and a compact rain poncho

Gear

Essentials. Start here.

A jump starter and a tire inflator solve the two roadside problems that happen most.

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Vehicle Emergency Kit Checklist. Every item in the trunk bag checked, charged, and current.

Visibility and Safety.

Transportation

Jump Starter.

Transportation

Tire Repair.

Transportation

Light.

Power and Lighting

Water and Food.

Food

Communication and Power.

Communications

First Aid.

Medical

Weather Protection.

Shelter and Safety

Essentials. Start here.

Save this checklist to your dashboard

Get a checklist built for your household

Related checklists.

Vehicle Emergency Kit

Transportation Preparedness Checklist

Vehicle Emergency Kit Guide