What should be in a winter car emergency kit?

Short answer. A winter car kit should keep you warm, visible and able to get unstuck: blankets and spare warm clothing, a flashlight, a shovel, sand or kitty litter for traction, booster cables, an ice scraper, a first aid kit, water and non-perishable snacks ¹⁴. If you are trapped, stay in the vehicle, keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow and open a window slightly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning ¹³.

What goes in a winter car emergency kit?

Official lists from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom overlap on the same core: stay warm, see and be seen, get the car moving again, and wait safely for help. The table groups their items by purpose.

Transport Canada splits its list in two: items for the trunk, and a shorter set to keep within reach inside the vehicle (ice scraper and snow brush, flashlight, seat belt cutter and window hammer, first aid kit, blankets) ¹.

Transport Canada's kit video also suggests matches and a "survival candle" so you can warm your hands without draining the car's battery, plus a can opener and utensils for canned food ².

Should you stay in the car if you get stuck?

In most cases, yes. The US National Weather Service says "Stay in the vehicle!" and warns that if you leave it, "you will become disoriented quickly in wind-driven snow and cold" ³. Transport Canada says to stay inside so you have shelter, as long as other drivers are not a threat to your vehicle ¹. Ready.gov gives the same instruction: "If trapped in your car, then stay inside" ⁵.

Transport Canada adds a specific warning: "Don't do any heavy lifting, shoveling or pushing in the bitter cold – this could be deadly" ¹. It also advises staying calm, keeping arms and legs moving, staying awake, and watching for traffic or search crews ¹.

The UK Met Office is less absolute. On a motorway it says to find the nearest emergency phone; on quieter roads, "it may be a case of walking to the nearest house or sitting tight" while waiting for a passing motorist ⁷. In a storm, the North American agencies say to stay with the vehicle ¹³.

Why is a blocked exhaust pipe dangerous?

Snow piled around the back of a stuck car can block the tailpipe, and exhaust gas then builds up inside the cabin. Carbon monoxide is "a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets" ⁵.

This is not a theoretical risk. During the January 1996 blizzard, the CDC documented 25 carbon monoxide poisonings linked to snow-obstructed vehicle exhaust in Philadelphia and New York City: 3 cases including 1 death in Philadelphia, and 22 cases in New York City, of which 21 were treated with hyperbaric oxygen and 1 was fatal ⁶. The CDC recommended inspecting vehicles to ensure that exhaust pipes are "cleared of snow before engines are started" ⁶.

What agencies tell you to do:

• Clear the tailpipe. "Do make sure the tailpipe isn't blocked by snow. This will keep carbon monoxide from getting into your vehicle" ¹. The NWS: "Clear snow from the exhaust pipe to avoid gas poisoning" ³.
• Open a window slightly. Transport Canada: "keep a window open a bit to supply fresh air, make sure the window is protected from the wind" ¹. NWS: "While running the motor, open the window a little for fresh air to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning" ³.
• Never run an engine in an enclosed space such as a garage ⁶.

How long should you run the engine for heat?

Here the agencies differ.

• The US National Weather Service says: "Run the motor about 10 minutes each hour for heat" ³.
• Transport Canada says to "run your motor as little as possible" and to use hand and foot warmers instead of the heater ¹.

Neither tells you to idle continuously. Whichever you follow, the exhaust check and the open window apply every time the engine runs ¹³.

Keeping fuel in the tank gives you that option in the first place. Transport Canada says to keep the tank at least half full and, for an electric vehicle, to make sure it has enough range for unplanned events ¹. Ready.gov goes further: "Keep a full tank of gas" ⁵.

How do you signal for help and save the battery?

• Light: Turn on the dome light rather than the headlights; Transport Canada notes that "overusing headlights may run your battery down" ¹. The NWS says to turn on the dome light at night when running the engine ³.
• Markers: Tie a bright coloured cloth, preferably red, to the antenna or door, and after the snow stops falling, raise the hood to show you need help ³. Transport Canada lists a warning light, reflective triangles or flares ¹.
• Triangles: The Met Office advises two warning triangles, one in front and one behind, placed "at least 45 metres away from the vehicle" ⁷.
• Phone: Keep a charged phone and a way to charge it ²⁴⁷. Transport Canada reminds drivers not to use it while driving ².

What official agencies recommend

Canada. Transport Canada keeps the longest list: 16 trunk items and 5 items inside the vehicle ¹. It is the only agency in this guide that tells drivers to run the motor "as little as possible" and to rely on hand and foot warmers ¹. Fuel tank: at least half full ¹.

United States. The CDC lists 17 items, including a battery-powered radio, tire chains, tire sealant and "waterproof matches and a can to melt snow for water" ⁴. Ready.gov's short list is jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water and non-perishable snacks, with a full tank ⁵. The National Weather Service sets the 10-minutes-per-hour engine rule ³.

United Kingdom. The Met Office list, written with input from RAC experts, adds items suited to British roads: a paper road atlas, high-visibility clothing, an empty fuel can, a flask of hot drink, two warning triangles and sunglasses for low winter sun ⁷. Traffic Scotland adds a first aid kit and a phone backup battery, noting that "temperatures can drop quickly and you may be stranded for some time" ⁸.

Where they agree. Every list includes warm clothing or blankets, a light source, food and water, and a way to deal with snow or a flat battery ¹⁴⁵⁷⁸. The North American agencies agree on staying in the car, clearing the exhaust and opening a window ¹³⁵.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just run the engine to stay warm all night?

No agency recommends continuous idling. The NWS says about 10 minutes each hour ³, Transport Canada says as little as possible ¹. A snow-blocked exhaust can fill the cabin with carbon monoxide, which caused 25 poisonings, 2 of them fatal, in one 1996 blizzard ⁶.

Will bottled water freeze in the car?

In freezing temperatures it can. The CDC suggests carrying waterproof matches and a can to melt snow for water ⁴, and the Met Office suggests a flask of hot drink for the trip ⁷.

Should I walk for help if I can see a house?

North American agencies say to stay in the vehicle because you can quickly become disoriented in wind-driven snow ³ and the car is your shelter ¹. The Met Office allows that on quiet UK roads it may mean walking to the nearest house or sitting tight ⁷.

Where should the kit be stored?

Transport Canada keeps bulk items in the trunk and the ice scraper, flashlight, seat belt cutter and window hammer, first aid kit and blankets inside the vehicle ¹.

Do electric vehicles need a different kit?

None of the agencies cited here publishes a separate kit for electric vehicles. Transport Canada's specific advice is to make sure an electric vehicle has enough range for unplanned events, since cold weather reduces range ¹.

Get your kit

Official lists differ by country, from the Met Office's warning triangles to Transport Canada's seat belt cutter. Whatever kit you assemble or buy, check each item against your country's official list cited above.

Sources

1. Transport Canada — Planning your trip — https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/stay-safe-when-driving/winter-driving/planning-your-trip (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Transport Canada — Winter Driving Emergency Kit — https://tc.canada.ca/en/winter-driving-emergency-kit (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. US National Weather Service — What To Do If You're Caught in a Winter Storm — https://www.weather.gov/safety/winter-during (accessed 2026-10-20)
4. CDC — Preparing for a Winter Storm — https://www.cdc.gov/winter-weather/safety/index.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
5. Ready.gov (FEMA) — Winter Weather — https://www.ready.gov/winter-weather (accessed 2026-10-20)
6. CDC, MMWR — Carbon Monoxide Poisonings Associated with Snow-Obstructed Vehicle Exhaust Systems, Philadelphia and New York City, January 1996 — https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00039929.htm (accessed 2026-10-20)
7. Met Office — Prepare a winter kit for your car — https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/travel/winter-car-kit (accessed 2026-10-20)
8. Traffic Scotland — How to prepare an emergency travel kit for winter months — https://traffic.gov.scot/car-emergency-kit (accessed 2026-10-20)