Road tripping has become increasingly popular over the past year. It’s more important than ever to equip your car with a fully stocked and personalized car survival kit.
Ahhhh, 2020, at last, you are just a memory. We isolated ourselves at the beach and in the mountains, and we have made some day trips since flight travel has all but ceased. The road trips taught me how to prepare for just about anything, often the hard way.
So, here you go, all of the items you need in a DIY car survival kit, printable checklist included.
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Affiliate Disclosure: There are affiliate links throughout this post. This means if you click on a link and purchase a product through that link, then I will receive a small commission for the referral. And that is kinda cool.
Necessities for Your Car Survival Kit.
- Travel documents, including your Driver’s License, car registration, and copy of car insurance.
- Pen and paper.
- Extra cell phone chargers.
- Pack a road map in case your GPS is spotty.
Roadside Emergency Items for Your Car Survival Kit.
These essential items can be the difference between a quick pit stop and becoming stranded for hours waiting for help to arrive.
- Durable duffel bag to hold all of the essential items
- Roadside warning signs, flags, or triangles
- Mechanic gloves
- High visibility jacket
- Jumper cables
- Spare tire and jack
- Tire pressure gauge
- Fix-a-Flat
- Heavy-duty tow strap
- Flares
- Flashlight. Pack extra batteries, just in case.
- Gas can
- Fire extinguisher
- Matches or a lighter
- A tool kit that includes a screwdriver, adjustable wrench, pliers, and a pocket knife
- All-purpose tool (my husband calls this a MacGyver)
- Seatbelt cutter and windshield breaker
- Duct tape
- Multiple sized bungee cords
- If you are traveling in cold climates, pack extra gloves, jackets, socks, winter hats, hand warmers, and an ice-scraper.
- Safety absorbent (or cat litter) to use if you get stuck on ice.
- Foldable shovel (to dig your way out of snow)
- Emergency mylar blanket and sleeping bag
- Extra car fluids: antifreeze/coolant, motor oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, washer fluid, a gallon of water.
- Poncho and an umbrella
- Towel and rags
- Pepper Spray for personal safety
- Whistle
This list is comprehensive and full of items for almost any type of roadside emergency. If you want to save time putting it all together yourself, here are a few Amazon options. Emergency roadside kits make fantastic gifts, too.
Car Survival First Aid Kit.
Items to include in your first aid kit for the car.
- Sterile gauze pads
- Multiple sized Band-Aids
- Alcohol Wipes
- Sanitizing wipes
- Emergency scissors
- Tweezers
- Elastic bandage
- Safety pins
- Medical Gloves
Medications.
**The list does not include any emergency type medication (except for the epinephrine). In the event of an emergency, seek medical attention immediately.**
- Stomach medications ~ Imodium, Pepcid (or any of the “purple pills for heartburn”), Pepto-Bismol, TUMS
- Motion Sickness ~ Ginger candy, scopolamine patches, ondansetron, and sea bands help with motion sickness. Don’t forget motion sickness bags.
- Aches, Pains, and Fevers ~ Acetaminophen or ibuprofen for minor aches and pains, including headaches. These are also fever reducers. Include both adult and kids doses.
- Allergies ~ Liquid Benadryl and two EpiPens.
- Ointments ~ Benadryl and Cortisone Ointments.
- Cold/cough ~ Pack a decongestant, and some cough drops, just in case.
On-The-Go Healthy-ish Snacks.
Savory Snacks.
- Beef jerky
- Goldfish
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Cheese sticks
- Crackers and cheese
- Hummus packs by Sabra (perfect dip for carrots, red peppers, Pita chips, or spread on crackers).
- Rice cakes
- Olives
Sweet Snacks
- Protein bars
- Raisins
- Greek yogurt and berries
- Squeezable Gogurt
- Peanut butter ~ Dip apples, celery, or pretzels, rice cakes, or spread on crackers
- Fig Newtons
- Yogurt smoothies
- Chocolate milk
- Protein drinks (watch the sugar content)
Crunchy Snacks
- Pretzels
- Goldfish
- Crackers
- Wheat thins
- Plantain chips
- Animal crackers
- Graham crackers
- Veggie Straws
- Pringles
Fruity Snacks
- Grapes
- Dried fruits
- Slices apples
- Apple Sauce
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Apple or Banana chips
- Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries)
Veggie Snacks
- Carrots
- Celery
- Red pepper slices
- Edamame
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Cucumber slices
Don’t forget a soft-sided cooler, Zip lock bags, and trash bags.
For a more comprehensive list of ideas for road trip snacks for kids, read this post with over 100 ideas, plus tips for packing and transporting your road trip snacks. AND a few homemade snacks and healthy on-the-go lunch ideas.
Pet Necessities for Your Car Survival Kit.
2020 was the best year ever for Razor. He was at home during on-line school snuggled in a blanket with my 6th grader, and he traveled with us on all of our road trips. He was the best travel companion.
I learned how to be adequately prepared to keep him healthy, happy, and safe.
Read more about how to pack for a pupcation; the post includes tips when planning a road trip with your pet and a thorough checklist, of course.
- Dog Car Seat
- Crate, if applicable.
- Food for the week. Always pack extra (you want to keep your pup on the same diet as at home to avoid unnecessary tummy upset).
- Water. Pack more than you think you need so you can keep your pup well hydrated.
- Lots of treats.
- Food and water bowls
- Poop bags
- Pee pads, these are washable.
- Favorite snuggly blanket
- Dog toys from home
- ID tag with an updated phone number and consider a microchip for your pup.
- Extra collar and leash (if it’s misplaced, you will be happy you packed an extra)
- Doggie first aid kit that includes gauze, Coban (self-stick wrap that doesn’t use adhesive), cotton balls, tweezers (especially if you plan to hike in the woods where the ticks hide). Also include antiseptic wipes, an instant ice pack, saline rinse, and a penlight.
- Pumpkin for tummy issues.
- Sunscreen
- Pack routine pet medications
- Pet safe insect repellent
- Essential First Aid for Dog Owners (book)
- Vaccine and other Medical Records
- Brush
- Shampoo
- Toothbrush
- Nail Clippers
- Pet grooming wipes
Wellness and Creature Comforts for Your Car Survival Kit.
- A pillow and cozy blankets
- Essential Oils for the road ~ Peppermint, Ginger, Lavender
- Personal Diffuser ~ I know this sounds a bit Zen, but trust me on this one. These little hand-held personal diffusers can turn a tumultuous, twisting, turning mountain ride into a peaceful adventure. While many will be dizzy and puking, you’ll be having fun and enjoying the ride. And if you need to relax and you have a driver, fill it with lavender and eucalyptus and create your little spa world in the car.
- Paper Towels
- Roll of toilet paper (you never know).
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Lip balm
- Sunscreen
- Hat or cap
- Shades
- Camera
- Headphones or AirPods
- Your playlist, Podcasts, or book on Audible
- Tech (Phones, laptop, chargers, Kindle)
- Bluetooth speakers
- Hoodie
Tips to Protect Yourself and Others.
Lastly, here are a few tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which states protect yourself and others by doing the following during your trip:
- Wash your hands after you have been in a public place, after touching surfaces frequently touched by others, blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, and touching your face or eating.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Keep six feet of physical distance from others.
- Wear a face-covering in public.
- Cover coughs and sneezes.
- Pick up food at drive-throughs, curbside restaurant service, or grocery stores.
Do you have experience with road trip mishaps that you would like to share with me?
What is the number one item you never leave home without when traveling by car?
Be safe. Have fun. And if you have a minute, send me pictures.
You always write amazing Jenny. Loved this write up, will share with others.
Thank you so much.
It is so helpful when somebody thinks of everything and offers a list and solution to all the problems that could arise on a road trip! Thank you for taking the time to write this article!
Yes, often I write these lists because I can’t remember everything. I am so glad they are helpful for others.
Thank you for listing it all down
This a great check-list perfect to avoid unpleasant situation on a long road trip! We travelled from the UK to Italy in 2019 (it seems like another life now!) and the car must have weighted another tonne in luggage and essentials:)) Extra fuel for the weight and some damage to the planet, I know, but probably less than kerosene damage, I hope.
These are all fantastic ideas! I need to add some of these items to my kit. I went hiking not too long ago, and could’ve used the insect spray had I put it in my car kit. Thanks for sharing!
Yes. Well, my husband is one of those people who get bit by everything. So, insect repellent is something we never leave home without.
this is such a thorough list and I love the snacks! might consider the triangle reflector sign because that will be really helpful while the others we got it. The macgyver tool kit will make my dad happy for sure!
I tried to make the snacks as healthy as I could, but sometimes my kids (and I) want a treat!
This is one of the best lists I have ever seen! You did a great job making it! And as you already said, people will travel by car more (me too) and it’s so important to get yourself ready for the best and the worst!
Absolutely. And thank you so much. By the way, your Germany posts have me wanderlusting about travel to Germany. One of these days.
Thank you! Germany has more as You and I can imagine! Every time I discover something new. Amazing.
Thank you so much for writing this – I totally agree on all these points. Thank you for the checklist as well.
You are welcome, I hope it is helpful.
It is a great source of knowledge about the proper use of tools. I think you made some good points in this post. Keep it up the good work. Thank you very much for sharing this article, this is really helpful for me, thanks again!
David Smith
http://reviewbreeze.com
Thank you so much for stopping by. I checked out your tool review blog and it’s great. Super helpful when picking out Father’s Day Gifts.