From Matthew Wright,
Your Guide to Auto Repair.
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No matter how well you care for your car, fate can put you on the side of the road. It could be a flat tire from a nail in the road, or something impossible to predict. Regardless of the reason, if you're on the side of the road immobilized, you need to be prepared. Not just prepared for your car, but prepared to keep you and your family as safe as possible until your act is together.

Whether you put together your own kit or buy one, you need to have some essentials inside. The kit we used came from Wal-Mart and was under $20. When you see all the things our emergency kit contained, you'll be shocked!

A Great Store Bought Emergency Kit

The Wal-Mart kit is literally packed with things you could need if you were stranded on the side of the road. The only thing I would add to it would be consumables like water and maybe some sort of food like a granola bar that will last forever and still be edible. Not only does the kit contain lots and lots of useful stuff, even the storage case is an emergency tool. The case itself has a yellow reflective strip which can be used either to signal the need for help or to tell other motorists to watch out. The case also has a velcro base on the outside to keep it from sliding all over the place while it's in your car. I tried it out, and the velcro really works. Great idea to add that!

Check Out How Packed This Kit Is!

Open the kit up and you'll find First Aid supplies, tools to get you back on the road, tools to keep you safe while you wait for help, and a few things that could just be used to pass the time.

You may also have special personal needs that you need to be prepared for. If you're hypoglycemic for instance, you may want to keep some hard candy or sugar packets in there.

Building Your Own Emergency Kit

Even though the kit we bought has nifty extras like the velcro bottom and reflective tape on the side, you can just as easily build an emergency roadside kit yourself. Here's a list of everything that our store-bought kit came with. You can add or delete as you see fit.

What's Inside:

• tow rope
• jumper cables
• tire puncture repair
• funnel/cone
• flashlight
• batteries
• gloves
• emergency blanket
• rain poncho
• help flags
• plastic water bag
• wet naps
• plastic zip ties
• first aid kit

In the First Aid Kit:

• injury information card
• cotton balls
• plastic bandages
• antiseptic towelettes
• more wet naps
• large gauze
• rubber gloves (they're big on hand safety here)

Emergency Kit Contents

I always think it's a good idea to have extra food and water on hand. you never know what situation you could find yourself in, and the munchies can come on most unexpectedly. You can also include medicine like Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen, these are also excellent fever reducers. If there's anything specific to your family that you know you'd need in an emergency add that, as well.