Driving Home for the Holidays from Mechanic School? Be Prepared with a Car Emergency Kit

When it comes to winter, there are seemingly endless amounts of conditions that make driving that much harder. Ice and salt on the roads, heavy snow, freezing temperatures, slush, foggy and snowy windshields—you name it, they can all spell trouble for drivers during these months. That said, drivers can also prepare themselves for the elements effectively, and they can do this by getting an array of supplies together for a car emergency kit.

With the right tools at their disposal, drivers can avoid dangerous and treacherous situations on the road during wintertime. They’re also extremely important to have around for any situation that may arise. Here’s how drivers can prepare themselves for the winter months with a car emergency kit.

These Are Some of the Many Items Worth Having in an Emergency Kit

As we’ve already established, winter conditions can pose various dangers for drivers, making an emergency kit essential to have. Items that are worth having in the kit include water, food (such as energy bars or other food that won’t go bad), first aid kit, extra clothes, a shovel, a wind-up flashlight, roadmaps, and a whistle in case drivers need help and have to draw attention to themselves. This is in addition to having their cell phone and a charger handy at all times.

It’s also worth drivers including a copy of a plan in case of emergencies, as well as having tools like warning lights, ice scrapers, snow brushes, antifreeze, a bag of sand, jumper cables and a fire extinguisher in the trunk. These are only a handful of items worth having around in these situations, but they’re worth including in the kit nonetheless—it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Mechanic School Students Should Know Which Situations Require an Emergency Kit

Although drivers will want to not have to use an emergency kit, certain scenarios during the winter months will be reminders for them to drive extra carefully. These include heavy snow, blizzards, black ice, slush, and freezing rain. Automotive training students should remember that conditions like these can pose hazards for both the driver and the car, such as if the car slips off icy roads or tires are punctured. 

While driving, they should also be cautious of several different factors. Windows should be defrosted, windshield wiper blades should be smoothed out with sandpaper to remove grit, distance between the driver and the car in front of them should be kept to between eight and 10 seconds, cruise control should not be turned on, and they should be on the lookout for black ice.

Drivers Should Keep These Tips in Mind Before Driving, and When They’re Stuck

Aside from having supplies in case of emergencies or bad situations while driving in winter, drivers should also remember certain tips before they hit the road, as well as if they’re stuck. Before leaving drivers should check the forecast, remove all snow from the vehicle, make sure their snow tires are installed by a professional out of mechanic school and are inflated properly, ensure that the gas tank is full, and inform someone of their travel route if conditions are particularly treacherous.

Should they find themselves stuck in a bad spot during frigid weather, drivers must remember to stay calm and not leave their vehicle. They should also leave the engine turned off when possible, move their extremities to keep warm and maintain circulation, turn on warning lights, and watch out for first responders and other cars in case help is needed.

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