Staying Sleet Smart: 9 Things To Keep In Your Winter Driving Kit

Even though you may be already thinking ahead to spring, don’t get ahead of yourself just yet. No matter how many winters we’ve experienced, every first snowfall, regardless of whether it’s 1cm or 4 ft., feels like we’ve plunged into it headfirst. We also get ready for spring sometimes a tad too early in hopes we don’t get one more snowfall. If you don’t have that winter driving kit already, put a few things in your car now to avoid frustration as we head out of winter.

Although many of us are remaining indoors this year, it’s always wise to have the proper tools readily available in your car in order to safely navigate the winter streets when you’re driving from point A to point B. Safety first requires taking the necessary steps to avoid collisions on the road, when the driving conditions are less than ideal.

The following list may look extensive, but rest assured that you don’t need a clown car to host all of these items. Any ol’ sedan or utility will do the trick! Here are 9 things to keep in your winter driving kit even as spring approaches:

1. Ice scraper/Snowbrush An obvious one, but a crucial one. Having a good snowbrush accessible in your car will save you time in the morning when you need to clear your windows and roof before you hit the road. It will also save you from having to use your arm as a wiper.
2. Shovel Small, transportable shovels can help dig you out of some tricky situations, especially once the snowplow has gone by overnight, leaving not-so-mini heaps of snow at the foot of your driveway. Shovels can also be useful if you’re ever stuck in a snowbank or on the roadside.
3. Blanket In the case of an accident, you may need to remain where you are for an extended period of time. A little extra warmth never did any harm.
4. Flares or reflectors If you’re out in the sticks and have run into a little bit of trouble, flares or reflectors can help signal that you need assistance, especially in dimly lit or dark rural roads where streetlights are few, far between or non-existent.
5. Salt or sand Spinning tires on patches of ice are incredibly common and annoying. Salt can provide some much-needed traction when you really just need the rubber to meet the road so you can get on with it. Having salt in the trunk of your car is never a bad idea.
6. First aid kit In the unfortunate event of a collision causing bodily harm, a first aid kit comes in handy for obvious reasons.
7. Windshield washer fluid Driving in a blizzard is scary enough as it is. With limited visibility, you need to proceed with extreme caution, but by having antifreeze windshield wiper fluid ready to go, you can prep your vehicle to limit any additional visibility reduction caused by freezing rain, ice pellets, and the like.
8. Flashlight Being stuck on a dark road in the dead of winter is pretty daunting, so having as many reflectors or light sources as possible is always a good idea. Flashlight can help improve the visibility of passersby so that they aware of your proximity in relation to them. Flashlights can also be used to signal for help.
9. Jumper Cables Having jumper cables in your car all year round can help you get out of dead battery situations that render your vehicle useless. Because your battery is more susceptible to problems in cold weather, jumper cables especially come in handy during the wintertime.

If you have any questions about your auto insurance coverage, we’re always more than happy to help. Contact one of our insurance professionals to learn more about our policies.