Looking for a gift for the new teenage driver or the aging parent in your life? Anyone who gets behind the wheel in the winter can benefit from a winter driving kit.
Read below to find what to include in your kit before you give it this holiday season.

Food and Drink

If you’re waiting for help at the side of the road, it’s always good to have a snack. Non-perishable food, like bars or crackers and a bottle of water, are a great start.
Unfortunately, water often freezes when left in the car, so a reminder to always travel with a fresh bottle doesn’t hurt!

Warm Layers

Keeping the car running isn’t always possible when you’ve broken down, and running the heat continuously is likely to kill the battery. Instead, staying inside and wrapping up in blankets and warm layers is the best way to stay warm.

It’s always smart to have snow boots, gloves, a scarf, and a hat in addition to a winter coat just in case you have to walk to get help or spend time outside getting unstuck or changing a tire. Throw an extra set of layers in the emergency kit!

A First Aid Kit

Every car should have a first aid kit throughout the year. In the winter months, keep it stocked with basics:

● Band-aids
● Pain relief
● Antiseptic wipes or spray
● Tissues
● An emergency blanket

A Flashlight & Flares

One thing you can always count on in the winter is that the sun will rise late and set early. Keep a light in the car, with spare batteries, and don’t depend on cell phone flashlights! It’ll help you see where you’re going and be seen by other traffic.

Road flares let other cars know that there is a broken down vehicle coming and they should slow down! Be sure to use the flashlight when setting the road flares out.

An Ice Scraper

This one is less of an emergency kit addition and more of an every-car staple.

Road Salt and Kitty Litter

Sometimes, snow falls, it melts, and icy patches trap your car where you thought it would be fine. Sometimes you hit an icy patch on the road and end up in a slippery snowbank! Either way, the ability to get rid of some of the slip and add some traction can help get the car on the road again.

Bonus – a shovel is a good tool to add too!

Jumper Cables

Cold weather drains batteries and the last thing a driver needs is to be stuck somewhere away from home with a flat battery.

Phone Charger

Like a car battery, a phone battery will lose power faster in cold weather. Keep a charging cable on hand, along with a wall charger and a portable charger. If the portable can’t hold a charge in the cold, it may be possible to find a wall charger at a nearby establishment.