by Shelia West

Created on: November 24, 2009   Last Updated: February 02, 2010

Unfortunately, many of us spend almost as much time in our vehicles as we do in our homes. We're always going somewhere. We spend countless hours driving to work, to school, to the doctor's office, to children's after school activities. Some people actually spend their workdays mostly in a vehicle. Many service people are driving almost constantly.

So of course it is an excellent idea to have a winter survival kit in your car in the event of an emergency, breakdown, or weather related problem. There have been cases of people being stranded in their automobiles for hours and even days. It is much better to be prepared with a winter survival kit and never have to use it than to need it and not have it.

You should give some serious thought to what items you need to pack into your survival kit. Some things are essential and easy to recognize. You will need a first aid kit, thermal blankets, matches or a couple of lighters, water, and some non-perishable food.

It is a good idea to store any food other than can food in a small cooler with a good sealing lid. This will prevent any small animals or rodents from getting into your trunk and feasting on your emergency supply. Keep plenty of candy or energy bars to help boost your energy.  Always remember to update them periodically and discard any unused ones.  You can also keep other supplies in the cooler such as medicines if anyone in the family has a medical problem. Just be sure to keep them clearly labeled and separated from the food. Buy can food with pop-tops or include a manual can opener in your kit.

It is also good to keep a few of the fire starter logs in your trunk. Chances are that any wood you might find will be wet and hard to get to burn. The starter logs will help you get a fire going. They could mean the difference in having a fire and warmth or freezing.

Other essential items are flashlights, fresh batteries, a portable radio, a compass, paper towels, toilet paper, a couple pairs of large rubber gloves, a couple pair of extra socks, a change of clothes, a full face toboggan, and a box of flares. You should also always keep some basic tools in your car. Screwdrivers, wrenches, black or electrical tape, a set of boosting cables, and a can of flat fix-it should remain in your trunk year round. And don't forget to keep a charger for your cell phone in your automobile always. Cell phones have a way of going dead just when you need them most.

A couple of other items that you could include in your kit are a roll of orange flagging tape and a couple of loud whistles. The orange tape could help you keep track of your direction if you have to travel on foot away from your car. The whistles could be used to frighten animals away or to help you locate someone.

This may sound like a lot of items to have in a survival kit, but if you are ever stranded, you don't know exactly what you will need the most. Hopefully you will never have to use any of these items, but when Old Man Winter comes calling, you never know what kind of weather he will throw at you.

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