Everyone should have a car survival kit stocked with emergency supplies in every vehicle they own.
You just never know when you might get stranded in your car, and left without a way to get to safety.
Whether you get stuck in a snowstorm or your car breaks down and leaves you in the hot sun, you need to be able to survive out of your car for at least a day, if not longer.
Gear to Keep in Your Car Survival Kit
Hydration
The first thing you need to make sure you have in your car survival kit is clean, drinkable water.
That isn’t something that most people keep in their cars, but you should.
Just keep in mind that if your car gets hot from sitting in the sun then your containers of water will also heat up.
Even on a cool day the temperature inside a closed vehicle can exceed 100 degrees if it’s parked in the sun.
Why does that matter?
It matters because most disposable water bottles are made of cheap, thin plastics that are full of toxic chemicals like BPA that can leach out of the plastic into your water when they get warm.
That’s why it’s really important to get some good, reusable BPA free containers for storing water in your car!
Sleeping and Insulation
Imagine getting stuck in a winter storm and having to sleep in your car overnight.
Even during the summer in the desert it can get uncomfortably cold at night!
If you get stranded and have to stay sleep in your car then you’ll want something nice and warm to sleep in.
That’s why you should always keep an insulated sleeping bag and a blanket or two in your car just in case.
Food
If you end up getting stranded for more than a day then you’re going to need some food.
Even though most people can technically survive for several days without food, going hungry is no fun.
You also need to keep your energy up, and keep your wits about you.
That’s why you need to keep some non-perishable food items in your car.
Just be sure to keep them in tightly sealed containers to keep them fresh, and to avoid attracting pests.
Power
Finally, it’s a good idea to keep a couple of fully charged portable power banks in each vehicle so you always have some backup power for your phone.
Or, an even better option is to have a solar power generator.
Having some backup power can help you keep in contact with emergency services or friends and family during an emergency.
Just be sure to check them once a month or so to make sure they don’t need to be charged, and they’ll always be ready when you need them.
All of these items we mentioned here can easily be stowed away in your vehicle, and kept out of the way until necessary.
A sleeping bag, two blankets, water, food, and a solar generator shouldn’t take up more than half of your trunk, so there’s no reason not to have a decent little stockpile in your car.
When the time comes that you need it, you will be very glad you have it.
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