With the cold months blistering through, it’s important to have safety gear on hand in case of an emergency on the road or out in the wilderness. You can keep these things in your pack if you’re going snowmobiling, but most conveniently keep these things in your car. You elevate your safety tenfold, just by having a few precautions and products in place as well as the knowledge of what to do if you’re in trouble. You shouldn’t let the weather stop your adventure, but you should prepare for the worst. Here’s 5 essential things to keep in your car this winter. 

TIRE TRACTION

Before you go out in the snow, you should definitely have snow tires, but even with snow tires you can slip on slick roads. In case you slide off the snowy road into a ditch, you’ll want something rough to get some traction with on hand. Kitty litter, salt, or sand are just a few substances you can keep in your trunk, or anywhere convenient, that will ensure your tires have something to grab onto and get you out of the ditch. If you get stuck, spread the gravel near your tires and it’ll help them get a grip. 

FIRST AID KIT

This might be an essential for any time, ever, because you never know when an accident may occur. A good first aid kit will have a few disinfectant wipes or liquid, antibacterial ointment, bandages and gauze, and maybe even some pain killers. If you’re packing your own up for winter adventures, including some hand warmers, flares and firestarter, and aquaphor for cuts and burns is a good idea as well. 

WATER AND SNACKS

Having lots of water and snacks that won’t go bad before you can eat them is a key component to safety and comfort if you get stuck in the middle of a storm, nowhere or avalanche. You don’t know how long you’ll be lost, so ensuring that you’ll at least have enough to last a couple days is a great idea. Water is especially important, and if your car becomes an emergency home, you’ll be grateful that you packed some necessities. Non perishable snacks that would work are granola bars, nuts or dried fruit.

BLANKETS, GLOVES, EXTRA WARMTH

If you have extra warm blankets lying around the house, it’s a good idea to pack them in your car before you embark on your adventure! This will come in handy if for whatever reason your car battery dies and you’re having to wait hours for assistance in a storm. And hey, blankets have lots of uses, such as a dry place to lay if you need to change a tire, shelter from blistering winds if you need to pop the hood, and more. 

ICE SCRAPER/SNOWBRUSH/MULTITOOL 

Last, but certainly not least, an ice scraper that also doubles as a snowbrush will come in handy if you leave your car for a bit in the downward snow. This way, you’ll be able to see where you’re going and you won’t be blinding other people with billows of snow from your roof. If you can find an ice scraper that is also a multitool, this will come in handy in self defense, escape in an avalanche situation, and more. There’s even models that come with an interchangeable shovel head. Here’s one I found on amazon. 

Well, here we are, at the end of our essential journey. As you might expect, each situation is going to be different, so you should consider anything else you may need on the road. This list is a great place to start, but you’ll know what you need depending on the journey. Safe travels!