While packing up the car, don’t forget these essential items:
- Jumper cables – I usually keep a set of jumper cables in my car year round because you never know when your battery might need a jump start. I have also been able to help other stranded motorists because I had a set of jumper cables in the trunk of my car.
- Ice scrapper – An ice scrapper can come in handy if you have to leave your car sitting outside overnight. This is another item that I typically leave in my car year round so that I don’t have to worry about finding it and putting it back in my car during the winter. On the news a few days ago, I saw people scrapping ice off their cars with credit cards, coins, and anything else that they could find in their car. Keeping an ice scrapper in your car will prevent you from damaging your debit or credit card or idling your car for hours.
- Tire Pressure Gauge – As temperatures drop, the tire pressure in your tires can quickly drop. If you are planning on traveling, it is always a good idea to check your tire pressure before you leave the house. Some of the newer cars have Tire Pressure Monitoring System that will automatically alert you if your tire pressure needs adjusting. If you have to add air to your tires, having a tire pressure gauge will help you determine how much air that you need to add to your tires. Driving with low tire pressure not only wastes fuel but it wears out your tires faster.
- First Aid Kit – An emergency first aid kit can come in handy if your child has a minor scrap or cut or have a medical emergency. You can even purchase emergency first aid kits that come with flares, cones, and other items that might come in handy if you are stranded on the side of the road.
- Cell Phone/Charger – Make sure that you pack your cell phone and charge in a handy place so that you can get to it in case of an emergency. Having a cell phone will allow your to contact 911 or call for help if you are stranded on the side of the road.
- 4-Way Lug Wrench – If you have ever had to change a tire, you are probably aware that the tools that come with your car often make it very difficult to change a tire especially in the freezing cold. If you have a 4-way lug wrench it makes changing a tire easier, even I was able to loosen the lug nuts on my car a few years ago with a 4-way lug wrench.
- Blankets – Carry several blankets in your car when you are travelling during the winter time. You can use the blankets for added warmth if you are stranded on the side of the road for an extended length of time.
If you are planning on traveling this winter, don’t forget to have your car serviced at your local dealership or favorite auto repair shop. If possible, ask for a full 30-point inspection of your vehicle to check for potential problems before they happen.
I hope that you have a safe and Happy Holidays if you plan on heading out of town to visit family and friends for Christmas or New Years.
Comments
16 responses to “7 Winter Essential Items to Keep Your Family Safe During Winter Holiday Trips”
I have already been caught without my scrapers in the car! Wasn’t fun. Thanks for the good reminder!
Oh no! Hopefully it is in your car no in case of bad weather. Thank you for stopping by Leigh.
My son and his wife are coming for 8 days at Christmas, and I’ve already asked him if they have an emergency kit in the car. 🙂 This is a good post!
I am glad that you enjoyed this post. I hope that your son and his wife have a safe trip.
We only travel about 80 miles, but that requires trecking through Seattle-one of the worst traffic cities so we go down Christmas Eve and stay the night in town.
I hope that you and your family have a safe trip.
Hi Christy,
It must be pretty tough to travel in the snow, and Dallas and a lot of that part is heavily covered with snow, according to the news I read our end.
You mentioned some really essential items that can keep families safe when they are out travelling. Thankfully, we don’t get snow at our end, but the winters are pretty severe this end too.
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
We don’t have any road trips planned for the winter, but these are great essentials for winter in general! I only have a 20 minute commute from home, but if it snows badly, then you never know when those items will come in handy! Thanks for sharing!
The last time we visited my family in the East Coast and had heavy snow was years ago! Maybe 2007. This is quite helpful to my family there. I’m sharing!
I keep a few of those items in the car at all times but I don’t have jumper cables. I keep telling myself I need to get them and I keep forgetting to do it.Thanks for the reminder!
YES!!! Blankets!!! I learned that the hard way back in winter of 1997 when I was four months pregnant and the snow stranded us for a few hours. Yeah, 15 degrees is cold with no blanket and no working heater! I’ll never forget it again 🙂
Yikes, how scary. Blankets or sleeping bags can come in very handy.
Great tips! No road trips for us this holiday.
These are excellent tips to be remindied of! Thank you Christy!
While I’m grateful not to need most of that here in Florida, I drove up to North Carolina and could have used your list. Maybe I would have realized that the reason my tire pressure light came on was because it was so doggone cold and the air had compressed! I’ll print this and put it in my glove compartment for next trip! Thanks, Christy!
[…] our home, thankfully, we quickly noticed the problem and avoided a huge problem. Also, check out my tips for driving during the holidays […]