When winter weather hits in your area, you can avoid the bulk of the delays and inconveniences if you do just one thing. Make sure your car is stocked with the basic winter driving equipment you need. Don't let mother nature strand you, your family, or friends alongside the road because you weren't prepared.



Being ready for the snow and ice that comes with winter driving means more than having studded tires, it means having the little things to. The last thing you want to have happen in sub-freezing weather is to find your car disabled. You don't need to have actual mechanical problems to have a disabled vehicle in the winter, you could simply be stuck in the snow, have thick ice covering your windshield or the rest of your car, have a battery die, be on a section of road or parking lot that lacks enough traction for your tires to grip, or any number of other situations.

Emergency Cash

Oftentimes, when suffering a breakdown or an unexpected delay it means miscellaneous expenses creep up that you weren't counting on.

Jumper Cables

Whether it is your vehicle that's battery had died or the vehicle blocking your way, having a safe-to-operate set of jumper cables can come in handy.

Small Shovel

If you do get stuck in the snow, having a small shovel to dig yourself out with is a big improvement over having to do it with your hands.

Bag of Sand/Cat Litter

When your vehicle becomes stuck and loses traction because of ice instead of snow, a simple bag of cat litter spilled in front of your drive tires can get you back on the road.

Ice Scraper

It is possible to wait for the defroster to melt the ice off the entire windshield but an ice scraper can do the job faster, and if the ice is particularly thick the defroster might not be able to handle it at all.

Snow Brush

Your visibility will be better and your car will operate better if you clear the snow and ice from the windows, headlights, hood, and roof of your car.

Tow Chain / Strap

If your car does go far enough off the road where you cannot get it back on by itself, you may need to depend on the help of a kind stranger. Don't count on every passerby having a tow chain or tow strap, have your own.

Many negative things can happen if you are not properly prepared for tough winter driving conditions. A flat tire or sliding off the road and getting stuck in a snow bank can lead you and your family into a situation where you are stranded, possibly in a remote location. By planning ahead and having the basic things you may need packed along, you can avoid what could at best be an inconvenient situation, and at worst be a deadly turn of events.

Having basic winter driving equipment packed in your vehicle when driving in the snow means that you are prepared for not only what happens when you're on the road, but what may happen if you go off the road.