The Ultimate Car Emergency Kit

In 1990, author Tim O’Brien was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for The Things They Carried, a short-story collection about soldiers in Vietnam. As a soldier of the highway, the things you carry might not win you any prizes, but they may save your life, should you find yourself stranded or in an accident. Here’s a checklist of 19 things every smart driver should carry in her car.

The Things You (Should) Carry

1. Important documents, such as your driver’s license, auto-club card, and insurance papers. Yes, these are no-brainers, but if for some reason your brain has taken a vacation, now is the time to make sure you have all of these documents in your wallet or glove box.

2. A cell phone. It doesn’t cost much, and it could save your life if you’re stranded or involved in an accident. (Of course, if you get distracted while chatting on your cell phone in traffic, it could also cost you your life.)

3. Spare change. If your cell phone battery dies, you’ll want plenty of change for the pay phone.

4. A flashlight. Get one that re-charges by plugging into your car’s cigarette lighter.

5. Emergency flares. They only last about 15 minutes each, so carry at least a dozen. If your car is disabled, you’ll want to place a couple of flares about 100 feet behind your car to warn oncoming traffic.

6. A whistle, bright rags, and a small mirror. If you’re stranded, you could stand beside your car yelling and waving your arms, but a whistle and some bright rags (or signal mirror) are more effective and less exhausting.

7. Dry chemical fire extinguisher. Avoid liquid fire extinguishers, which can cause a fire to spread.

8. A tool for cleaning snow and ice from your windows. Get a scraper before you come out one morning and find your windshield covered in ice.

9. A blanket. Take it from Linus--nothing beats a warm blanket, especially if you’re stranded in cold weather.

10. Food and bottled water. If you’re stranded for hours, you’ll want to keep your strength up. Be sure to get food that stays fresh for long periods of time and is edible at both very high and very low temperatures. Trail mix is a good choice; egg salad isn’t.

11. Two cans of tire inflator. If you get a flat, you could stand around waiting for a tow truck, but why bother if you can fix it yourself?

12. Paper towels. Forget Velcro--paper towels are the miracle invention when it comes to car emergencies. You can clean up minor spills, wipe down your dipstick, or even use a roll of Bounty as a makeshift pillow.

13. Vital automotive fluids. Carry spare oil and, in case of a radiator or hose leak, spare water. You may want to carry spare gasoline too, but be careful, it’s explosive. Check your local auto-parts store to see if they carry non-explosive substitute fuel.

14. Jumper cables. Don’t rely on chance and the kindness of strangers--you should carry your own pair of jumper cables. (For instructions on using cables, consult our online auto handbook, Car Care 101.) Consider buying the new, safer cables that plug into the cigarette lighter of the car with the good battery.

15. Tools. In addition to a jack and tire-changing equipment, it’s helpful to carry two kinds of screwdrivers (slot and Phillips head), hammer, pliers, a knife, and a roll of duct tape, which is handy for temporarily patching leaky hoses.

16. Maps. Invest in a good atlas and maps for the cities in which you most often drive. In unfamiliar areas, you should also be keeping a map in your head, making note of street names, landmarks, etc. If you break down and have to call for help, the police or tow truck will get to you more quickly if you can provide them with details of your location.

17. A pen and paper. Who knows when you’ll need to jot down directions, take a license-plate number, or leave a note on the windshield of your disabled car? However, you should avoid carrying a pen (or keys) in your blouse; when your airbag deploys, it could jam these objects into your chest.

18. Matches or a lighter. Swallow your pride, ace Girl Scout. If you’re in an emergency and need a fire, you don’t want to waste time rubbing sticks together.

19. Floor mats. You thought they were there to keep your carpet clean, right? If you’re stuck in mud or snow, you can also put floor mats under your tires for better traction.