Make sure your car is ready for anything. Beyond just checking that your car is in good working order, AAA recommends keeping an automotive preparedness kit in your car at all times to prevent an inconvenience from becoming an emergency.

The items for a basic kit can be gathered from around the home or purchased already assembled such as in the AAA Premium Traveler Road Kit and should include the following:

Primary Automotive Preparedness Kit

  • Jumper cables
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • Warning devices (flares or triangles- remember to always follow all safety instructions when using flares)
  • Shop cloth (or a roll of paper towels)
  • First-aid supplies

All the automotive preparedness kit items above are included in the AAA Premium Traveler Kit available at your local AAA Travel Store.

Additional Items

  • Drinking water
  • Medications
  • Personal hygiene products
  • Non-perishable snacks for both human and pet passengers
  • Window washer solvent
  • Basic toolkit (screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench or a good multipurpose tool)
  • Car charger for your phone (which should be programmed with rescue apps and important phone numbers including family and emergency services.)
  • Emergency escape tool, such as ResQMe. If you don’t have an emergency escape tool in your car yet, you need to have one. They range from a full-sized seven inches, to a keychain-sized three inches, and include a seatbelt cutter and a window breaker. Larger sizes can be kept in a glove box or mounted to the car interior for easy access when needed. Certain styles include a flashlight or beacon, giving you multiple kit items in one.
  • Shovel
  • Extra clothing
  • Tarp, raincoat and gloves

Winter Time

Though warm days are here for a few more months, it’s not too early to start preparing your vehicle for ice and snow. Here are a few helpful items to have for winter:

  • Bag of abrasive material (sand, salt, cat litter) or traction mats
  • Tire chains or socks
  • Warm clothing (gloves, hats, scarves)
  • Ice scraper
  • Snow Shovel
  • Blankets (or an aluminum fabric Emergency Blanket)

Another great preparedness item is the Eton FRX3+ Radio. This handy product does everything you need. It’ll give you AM/FM & Weather band Alerts and charge your smartphone via USB. It also has multiple power options (rechargeable batteries, hand crank, or solar power) and includes an LED flashlight and emergency beacon.

AAA Travel Store

Many of these items listed are available at your local AAA Travel Store (subject to seasonal availability). Visit a AAA Service Center and browse a variety of products available to give you peace of mind when you hit the road this summer.
Find a AAA Travel Store