Vehicle Kit – Winter

Survival kit for winter driving:

  • Coffee can or other empty and clean food can
  • 60-inch length string (cut into 3 equal pieces - used to suspend can)
  • 3 large safety pins (tie string to safety pins and pin to car roof interior to suspend can over candle)
  • 1 candle 2" diameter (place on lid under suspended can for melting snow). Canned Sterno will also work to heat water.
  • 1 pocket knife, reasonably sharp (or substitute with scissors)
  • 3 pieces of bright cloth 2" wide x 36" long (tie to antenna or door handle)
  • Several packets of soup, hot chocolate, tea, bouillon cubes, etc. (mixed into melted snow to provide warmth and nutrition)
  • Plastic spoons
  • Packages of easy to eat, high energy foods like peanuts and candy or canned, ready-to-eat soups or fruit
  • 1 pair of socks at least 80% wool and 1 pair of gloves or glove liners
    • Cotton is not recommended, it provides no insulation when wet (cotton kills)
  • Extra extreme cold weather
    • Extra clothing
    • Winter sleeping bag
  • Blanket 100% wool
  • 2 packages of book matches
  • Windproof lighter
  • 1 sun shield blanket or 2 large green or black plastic leaf bags (to reflect body heat)
  • 1 flash light and batteries (keep separate)
  • First aid kit
  • Toilet paper and sealable container for bathroom purposes
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Small tool kit
  • Ice scraper/snowbrush
  • Shovel

  • Sand or other traction aid
  • Tow chain Heavy Duty
  • 20 ft x 3 in.Heavy Duty Recovery Strap (rated at 2-3x the weight of your vehicle)
  • Jumper cables
  • Charged jump box
  • Tire plug kit
  • Spare tire valve caps
  • Spare tire valve cores
  • 12vdc 150 lbs air compressor
  • Road flares or warning lights strobe 
  • Gas line antifreeze
  • Large plastic garbage bag
  • Pencil stub and paper
  • Plastic whistle
  • Cellular phone with a charger
  • Plastic traction mats

  • Map / Road Atlas
  • Phone contact list and addresses (hardcopy)
  • Roll of high quality duct tape (Gorilla tape or equivalent)
  • 6 mil clear plastic sheeting (in case you break a window or more when you slide off the highway)

Place the survival kit in the passenger compartment in case you go into a ditch and cannot get to or open the trunk. Put all items in a plastic storage container and place in vehicle when traveling starting in mid-October.