The haves and have nots for winter emergency kits

It's just as important to know what not to include, but whatever it is, keep it secured

About this time every year, consumer-related articles and publications seem to be filled with reminders on winter-driving techniques and long lists of what to carry onboard in case of a snowy road-side breakdown or unexpected off-road event. But while some of the items on these must-have lists are useful and likely to save you a lot of inconvenience, others are a waste of space and may actually bring about problems rather than solve them.

No matter what you decide to carry onboard for winter travelling the main thing to consider first is where to locate these items and how to secure them. This becomes particularly critical when dealing with SUVs, minivans, crossovers, hatchbacks and wagons where there is no solid physical barrier between the storage or cargo area and passengers. Simply put, never put anything in an open cargo area you wouldn’t mind smacking you in the head at 90 km/h, because that’s exactly what can easily happen in the event of a collision or rollover. Most non-sedan haulers have storage areas under a floor panel door and this is a great location if available because your emergency kits won’t interfere with normal cargo.

Leave the food at home. Think about it; when was the last time you ever heard of anyone starving to death or the point of hospitalization because they were stuck in a snowbank? Unless you regularly travel in the most remote areas of the country, you won’t likely run the risk of being stranded long enough for this to be a concern. But what can happen when you store energy bars, crackers, or any uncanned food stuffs on board is the infiltration of unwanted furry guests to wreak havoc on your auto’s interior and/or wiring components.

Booster cables are a great idea but only if you know how to use them. There are plenty of online instructions available in both text and video formats but these are easily forgotten unless you can look them up on a smartphone while you’re trying to hook up the cables correctly. Many auto parts stores offer quality cables in handy storage bags that have the instructions printed on the bag’s exterior. Stick with a minimum 10-gauge cable (cables get thicker as the gauge numbers get lower). The length should be 12 feet at minimum to allow boosting a dead car without having to park nose to nose. Lightweight and pocket-sized lithium-ion booster packs are a great innovation but are useful only if they’re kept recharged. They also come at a premium cost, starting at $100 and go up for quality brands, while a good set of cables can usually be found for less than $40.

A foldable shovel is handy for clearing snow away from tires when your ride is embedded in a bank and, as this can be a regular event for many drivers, having one is better than not. Traction aids are usually advisable due to the frequency of glare ice conditions and the fact that they’re relatively inexpensive and take up little space (talking about the purpose-made flexible rectangular runner-pads). If you want to go old-school hack and use kitty litter, keep the containers small, light and soft-sided (you don’t have to stow three winter’s worth in the trunk).

Stay tuned for more ins and outs on other commonly recommended winter road survival kit items.