Roadside Emergency Kit Checklist for Your Car
2 lessons in this series, 6 min in total
- Roadside Emergency Kit Checklist for Your Car 3 min read
- Best Gear for a Car Emergency Kit 3 min read
This checklist compares AAA’s emergency kit list with Ready.gov’s car safety and winter weather pages, plus tire advice from fueleconomy.gov and jump pack details from NOCO’s GB40 documents. Read how we research.
Who lists what: AAA vs Ready.gov
AAA and Ready.gov each publish a kit list, and only some items appear on both.
| Group | Both list | AAA only | Ready.gov only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | Phone charger; jumper cables (AAA: or jump pack) | None | None |
| Safety and visibility | Flares, reflectors or reflective triangle | First aid kit; flashlight with spare batteries | None |
| Comfort and weather | Blanket | Water and snacks; tarp, raincoat, gloves | None |
| Tools and navigation | None | Basic tools, duct tape; rags, paper towels or wipes | Map |
| Winter | Ice scraper (AAA: or snow brush); sand or cat litter (AAA adds salt, non-clumping litter) | Shovel | None |
| Tires: gauge and inflator | None (our addition) | None | None |
Our rule: the items on both lists are the must-haves, and AAA’s extras come next.
AAA also says where some items go. The phone charger and first aid kit belong in the glove compartment. The blanket and warning devices go in the luggage area, and the water and snacks should cover “everyone in the car including pets.”
Power and light
Both lists include a phone charger and a way to jump a dead battery. AAA lists “jumper cables/jump pack,” and Ready.gov lists jumper cables. Cables need a second running car, while a pack works alone but has to be kept charged.
AAA also lists a flashlight with extra fresh batteries. Some jump packs have a light built in, and NOCO’s data sheet lists a 100-lumen LED on the GB40.
Pack a separate flashlight anyway. A jump pack may be flat by the time you need it, and then you lose both the jump and the light.
Our addition: a tire gauge and inflator
Neither list includes tire gear. A gauge tells you whether a tire is low. A small inflator can top it back up so you can reach a shop.
PSI, pounds per square inch, is the unit tire pressure is given in. Fueleconomy.gov says your car’s correct pressure is usually on a sticker in the driver’s door jamb or in the glove box, and in the owner’s manual. It says not to use the maximum pressure printed on the tire’s sidewall.
The same site says under-inflated tires lower gas mileage by about 0.2% for every 1 PSI (0.07 bar) drop in the average pressure of all tires. A simple gauge is the low-cost way to catch that drop. For target numbers, see what PSI your tires should be.
Winter extras
AAA lists an ice scraper or snow brush, and Ready.gov an ice scraper. Both list a traction aid: AAA names sand, salt or non-clumping cat litter, and Ready.gov cat litter or sand. AAA also lists a shovel.
Ready.gov’s winter weather page adds warm clothes and blankets to the car kit, and says that if you’re trapped in your car, stay inside. Pack enough warm clothes for everyone who rides along.
Ready.gov also gives driving advice. Keep the gas tank full, which helps keep the fuel line from freezing. Use good winter tires with enough tread, or chains or studs where required, and don’t use cruise control on slippery roads.
To choose between chains and a lighter option, compare snow socks vs snow chains. If you drive on unplowed roads or park off the pavement, traction boards can get you out of deeper snow, but only after you dig: see do traction boards work in snow.
Cold matters for battery gear too: NOCO says to store the GB40 indoors and to charge it only at 32-104°F (0-40°C), so read can you leave a jump starter in your car before you keep one in the trunk.
Set a seasonal check. Recharge battery packs, swap flashlight batteries and replace the water. Add the winter items before the first freeze.
With the basics packed, decide which jump pack and inflator to keep in the car. Putting a kit together for a new driver? Start with gifts for new drivers.
