Here’s what to include in your winter emergency car kit (and yes, you should have one)
Learn what to put in your winter car kit, plus shop pre-made kits and supplies like jump starters, flashlights, tire chains and more.
Seventy percent of winter deaths related to snow and ice occur in cars, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Depending on where you live, wintertime can bring severe cold weather and snowstorms that can leave you stranded on the road. If that happens, a winter emergency car kit can be a lifesaver, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) and Vision Zero North Dakota.
That’s why I collected guidance from government agencies like NWS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) about what to put in a winter emergency car kit, and recommend some top-rated kits and supplies below.
Selected.Our top picks
Best winter car kitLifeline 4390 AAA Severe Weather Emergency Road Safety Kit$undefined$55.64Lowe'sLearn more
Best general car kitEverlit Survival Car Emergency Kit$undefined$69.95AmazonLearn more
Related
selectedselectedThe best supplies for an emergency kit, according to FEMA and the CDC
The best winter emergency car kits of 2026
Our top picks have many of the supplies recommended by agencies like FEMA and the American Red Cross. You can supplement them with supplies of your own and find additional supplies in the kit supplies section.
Best winter kit
Lifeline 4390 AAA Severe Weather Emergency Road Safety Kit
$55.64Lowe's$54.99AAA Corporate TravelIncludes: 45-piece first aid kit, flashlight, batteries, fleece hat, gloves and scarf, folding shovel, ice scraper, clip-on LED safety strobe, whistle, candle, survival blanket, fire starter, hand warmers
This is a great starter kit to supplement with your own supplies: it includes many of the items recommended by the agencies we mentioned above, including a first aid kit, ice scraper, and a few winter clothing items. It is light on car equipment, however, so you’ll want to add items like a jump starter or jumper cables, a tow rope and a tire inflator ASAP.
Best general car kit
Everlit Survival Car Emergency Kit
2,631 Amazon Reviews$69.95Amazon$69.95Everlit SurvivalIncludes: 108-piece first aid kit, glass breaker, seat belt cutter, reflective warning triangle, gloves, hand crank flashlight, poncho, jumper cable, digital air compressor, tow rope, cable ties, electrical tape, bungee cords
This car emergency kit isn’t specific to winter conditions, so you’ll want to supplement it with cold-weather supplies. It includes a large first aid kit as well as many recommended car emergency supplies like reflective warning triangles and jumper cables. It also comes with a digital air compressor that can inflate standard tires in a few seconds, according to the brand. You can read a full list of the included supplies on Everlit Survival’s website.
Top-rated winter emergency car kit supplies of 2026
Almost all pre-made kits are missing a few items, so it’s important to supplement them with tools and supplies depending on your needs. You may also prefer to build your own winter emergency car kit from scratch — you probably already have many of the items recommended by expert agencies. Below are highly rated winter emergency car kit supplies for you and your vehicle.
Supplies for you
First-aid kit
Any first aid kit should include a variety of supplies for treating wounds and injuries. It’s important to add items like medications and emergency contacts, according to the American Red Cross.
First Aid Only All-Purpose First Aid Kit (FAO-442)
$19.36
Amazon
Be Smart Get Prepared 110 Piece First Aid Kit
$8.40
$8.99
Amazon
Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Hiker Medical Kit
$34.49
Amazon
$34.50
REI
Water
Water can be tricky to store in winter conditions — it may freeze if stored in the trunk or a flatbed, so we recommend storing it in the backseat or somewhere else in your vehicle’s main cabin, if possible.
Reliance Jumbo Water Container (7 Gallon)
$37.06
Amazon
Survivor Filter Collapsible Water Bottles (1L)
$17.99
Amazon
Flashlight
A flashlight is a critical tool, especially if it’s dark out and you need to troubleshoot your vehicle. I include emergency flashlights and headlamps, which can keep your hands free.
Thrunite Archer 2A C Flashlight
$39.99
ThruNite
$29.95
Amazon
GearLight LED Tactical Flashlight
$14.99
$20.99
Amazon
Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp
$61.56
$64.99
Amazon
$59.95
Black Diamond
$59.95
REI
Goal Zero Crush Light
$29.95
Amazon
$29.95
REI
Cell phone, road maps
Multiple agencies recommend keeping cell phone chargers and spare road maps as part of your emergency car kit.
Rand McNally Folded Map: Western United States
$9.31
$9.99
Amazon
$9.99
Rand McNally Publishing
Rand McNally Easy to Read: Central United States Folded Map
$9.31
$9.99
Amazon
$9.99
Rand McNally Publishing
Rand McNally Folded Map: Eastern United States
$9.99
Amazon
$9.99
Rand McNally Publishing
Suunto A-10 Compass
$24.00
Amazon
$24.00
REI
$24.00
Suunto
Batteries and portable chargers
Most flashlights are powered by disposable AA or AAA batteries. A portable power bank is also good to have for keeping your phone charged.
Amazon Basics 12-Pack AA High-Performance Alkaline Batteries
$8.49
Amazon
Amazon Basics 12-Pack AAA High-Performance Alkaline Batteries
$8.99
Amazon
Anker Nano Power Bank 10K Portable Charger with built-in cable
$54.99
Amazon
$49.99
Anker Innovations Limited
Anker Zolo Power Bank with built-in Lighting and USB-C cables
$54.79
Amazon
Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station
$289.00
Amazon
$289.00
Jackery
$289.00
Walmart
Non-perishable food
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation recommends high-calorie, non-perishable foods like dried fruits and nuts and canned foods. If you need to sleep in your car, Vision Zero North Dakota recommends eating a snack of high-calorie food just before sleeping to stimulate your metabolism and heat production (a common practice in cold-weather camping).
Blanket, mittens, boots, warm clothes
Blankets, mittens, boots and warm clothes can all help keep you warm if you need to stay put during a roadside winter emergency.
Bedsure Sherpa Fleece Blanket
$39.99
$61.99
Amazon
REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20F Sleeping Bag
$159.00
REI
MalloMe Sleeping Bag
$54.99
Amazon
Supplies for your vehicle
Jump starter/jumper cables
Being able to jump-start your vehicle on your own or with the help of another vehicle is a critical part of any car kit.
Noco Boost GB40 Jump Starter
$75.96
$99.95
Amazon
$99.95
$124.95
NOCO
Weego N70 Jump Starter
$154.99
Amazon
$159.99
$206.65
Weego
$154.99
$172.99
Walmart
Goodyear Heavy Duty Jumper Cables
$32.99
Amazon
$32.99
Walmart
Tire chains
Tire chains can give you more traction, especially on unpaved roads with snowy or icy conditions.
SCC Peerless Auto-Trac (Set of 2)
$84.99
Amazon
$84.99
Walmart
Konig XG-12 Pro 255 Snow Chains (Set of 2)
$294.95
$329.95
Amazon
Autosock HP697 (Set of 2)
$120.95
Amazon
$120.95
Autosock
Tire repair tools
Having everything you need to repair a flat tire on the road can help prevent a winter roadside emergency before it happens.
Avid Power Cordless Pistol Grip
$56.99
$74.99
Amazon
DeWalt 20V MAX Tire Inflator
$147.00
$179.00
Amazon
$169.00
Lowe's
Viair 88P Corded Portable
$89.89
$103.95
Amazon
$107.57
Walmart
$89.95
Home Depot
Accu-Gage RH60X Tire Pressure Gauge (60 PSI)
$19.95
$24.95
Amazon
Fix-a-Flat Aerosol Emergency Flat Tire Repair
$8.49
$13.39
Amazon
Gas
Spare gas can mean the difference between being stranded and getting to your destination without incident.
Reliance Products Desert Patrol 6 Gallon Rigid Water Container
$30.84
Walmart
Eagle Steel 5 Gallon Storage Can
$64.98
$73.76
Amazon
$64.98
Lowe's
$71.61
Home Depot
Shovel, ice scraper, snow brush
Having tools to combat snow and ice is essential for winter emergencies — both can get your car stuck and block visibility in your windshield.
Rhino USA Survival Shovel w/Pick
$27.90
Amazon
$28.90
Rhino USA
Roadside lighting
Repairing potential issues with your car is a lot safer the more visible you are to other vehicles. Tools like LED beacons and reflective triangles can help.
StonePoint LED Emergency Beacon (Set of 3)
$20.99
Amazon
Cartman Road Safety Triangle Kit (Set of 3)
$27.99
Amazon
$39.99
Cartman
Tow rope
A tow rope can help get your car unstuck from snowy or icy conditions, with the assistance of another vehicle, of course.
Rhino USA Recovery Tow Strap
$39.90
Amazon
$39.90
Rhino USA
Hokinety Kinetic Recovery Tow Rope
$80.99
Amazon
Sand, road salt or kitty litter (for traction)
Sand, road salt and (surprisingly) kitty litter can give your tires added traction if you are trying to get your vehicle out of being stuck in place.
Snow Joe Deicer Crystals (25 lbs)
$27.97
Amazon
$27.97
Home Depot
$27.97
Target
Sakrete Multi-Purpose Sand (60 lbs)
$7.98
Home Depot
Arm & Hammer Feline Pine Non-Clumping Cat Litter (18 lbs)
$21.62
Chewy
How I picked top-rated emergency kits and supplies
Using guidance from reputable agencies like the National Weather Service, FEMA, the American Red Cross and state and local departments of transportation, I selected emergency kits based on the following criteria:
Supplies included: All of the above organizations suggest some variation of a winter car emergency kit that includes the following:
- First aid kit
- Basic tool kit
- Flashlight
- Sustenance: Water and non-perishable food
- Warmth: Blankets, warm clothes (boots, mittens, jackets, etc.)
- Communication: Portable charger and batteries
- Emergency signal tools: flares, beacons, reflective triangles, whistle
- Snow tools: shovel, ice scraper, snow brush
- Car starting tools: jumper starter or jumper cables, extra gas
- Tire tools: Tire chains, snow tires, tire repair kit and inflator, sand or cat litter (for traction)
- Towing tools: tow rope
Top-rated: I only selected pre-made kits with at least a four-star rating from major retailers like Amazon.
Frequently asked questions
The National Weather Service, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Vision Zero North Dakota and the CDC all recommend similar items for a winter emergency car kit. We combined their recommendations to create the list above. Certain agencies also recommend additional items we didn’t list above, such as:
- Extra cash
- A whistle
- A rain poncho
- A multi-tool
- A fire extinguisher
- Entertainment (books, games, puzzles, etc.)
It can be, depending on your needs. A lot of the items recommended for a winter emergency car kit are things you probably already own: a first aid kit, flashlight, road maps, batteries, warm clothes, a jump starter, etc.. We recommend taking stock of what you already have, then shopping for anything you’re missing (and a bag to put everything in).
Why trust NBC Selected?
Harry Rabinowitz is a former reporter at NBC Selected who covered technology and fitness, including stories on smartwatches, running shoes, wireless earbuds and more. He also covered home and health tools like air purifiers, air conditioners and blood pressure monitors. For this piece, he researched winter emergency car preparation guidelines from reputable government and local agencies to put together a list of recommended items.
Catch up on NBC Selected’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok to stay up to date.
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