A well-stocked emergency kit turns a roadside problem into a manageable inconvenience. Here is what to keep in your car — before you ever need it.
A car emergency kit is a small, one-time effort that pays off the moment something goes wrong on the road. The whole point is to assemble it before you need it.
Put a kit together once, keep it in the trunk, and check it occasionally. That is the entire commitment — and it can make a roadside problem far less stressful.
A solid car emergency kit includes:
Adjust for your climate — in cold regions, add an ice scraper, extra warm layers, and traction aids.
An emergency kit handles the situations you can manage yourself. But for a tow, a lockout, or a breakdown you cannot fix on the shoulder, you need professional help.
That is what a roadside assistance plan is for. A kit and a plan together cover the great majority of roadside situations — the kit for what you can do, the plan for what you cannot. RMO MyRoadside lets you request help 24/7 from the MyRMO app, the website, or the hotline.
Jumper cables or a jump pack, a flashlight, basic tools, a tire gauge, warning triangles, a first-aid kit, water and snacks, a phone charger, and gloves and a blanket — adjusted for your climate.
Yes — they complement each other. A kit handles small issues you can manage yourself, while roadside assistance covers tows, lockouts, and breakdowns you cannot fix on your own.
In addition to the basics, add an ice scraper, extra warm layers and a blanket, traction aids such as sand or cat litter, and a small shovel for snow.
Check it a couple of times a year — confirm the flashlight batteries work, the jump pack is charged, snacks are not expired, and the kit suits the current season.
Round out your roadside readiness:
