Automobile Emergency Kit, Winter Travel Life Saver or Waste of Money?

Most of us have experienced a flat tire, engine trouble, dead battery, or maybe even an accident. As untimely, and troublesome as these events can be, they are usually manageable. Can you image trying to deal with one of these events in the frigid cold of winter? Can you and your family deal with or even survive without an Automobile Emergency Kit in one of these situations? Have you ever considered how long it would be before help would arrive?

An Automobile Emergency Kit is recommended by the Colorado Department of Transportation, and many others, to ensure you are prepared for the unexpected, especially during winter travel. According to a study by Daniel Eisenberg, PhD and Kenneth E. Warner, PhD, the number of winter automobile accidents in the U.S. during an average year is 1.5 million. This does not account for maintenance issues in winter, just accidents. So with these numbers in mind and if you travel frequently, it is likely that at some point in time you will have maintenance issues or be one of those statistics. In the worst case scenario, you could be stranded in the middle of nowhere in the dead of winter. How would you stay warm? What would you eat and drink? How would you see or signal for help?  You may just suffer minor injuries, discomfort, or exposure to the elements for a short time before help arrives. But if you are without an Automobile Emergency Kit, this situation could be life threatening, especially if you get stranded in an unexpected or fast moving storm. It could be 24-36 hours before someone can help you. With an adequate Automobile Emergency Kit you could be self-supportive in these extreme conditions, until help can arrive.

You may be asking what should I have in an Automobile Emergency Kit? According to most northern state authorities, it is recommended that you have a minimum of a 24 hour supply of drinking water, some blankets or sleeping bags, first aid kit, flash light or glow sticks. To round out a more complete Winter travel Automobile Emergency Kit you should add some food rations, waterproof matches, Swiss army knife, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, waterproof ponchos, reflective triangle, duct tape, and a help sign or distress banner. One last thing to consider for your Automobile Emergency Kit is a container. A heavy duty backpack is recommended, which makes for easy storage, plus extra room for some emergency clothing.

An Automobile Emergency Kit can save your life if you plan ahead. You buy car, health, home, and life insurance, so why are you not getting survival insurance? It costs far less than the others! So get prepared for winter travel now. Purchase, or assemble an Automobile Emergency Kit, and ensure you have the supplies for you and your family to survive till help can arrive!

About the Author

William Tonkin, as a child took an interest in outdoor survival and joined the boy scouts. Following high school William joined the military, and learned about cold weather survival in Montana. In more recent years he worked with emergency services developing mapping and communications software for their vehicles. Today he continues to share his knowledge of emergency preparedness with others.

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