Emergency kit checklist
Choose items that match where and how you drive. A city commuter may prioritize compact gear, while rural drivers benefit from extra warmth and visibility items. The list below is focused on battery-related no-starts, but it also includes essentials that make any winter stop safer.
- Jump starter pack (keep charged)
- Or quality booster cables with thick insulation
- Simple instruction card (connection order)
- Reflective vest
- Warning triangle or flare alternative
- Headlamp or flashlight + spare batteries
- Warm gloves and hat
- Blanket or insulated layer
- Hand warmers
- Phone charging cable + 12V adapter
- Emergency contact list (offline)
- Portable power bank (kept warm if possible)
Jump-start safety reminders
Always follow your owner manual and the instructions for your jump starter or cables. The reminders below are general. If a battery looks damaged, swollen, or leaking, do not jump it.
- 1Park safely, set parking brakes, and keep vehicles from touching.
- 2Turn off accessories. Keep metal tools away from the battery top.
- 3Connect positive to positive first.
- 4Connect negative to a suitable ground point if recommended, away from the battery.
- 5Start the disabled vehicle. If it does not start quickly, stop and reassess.
- You smell sulfur or see smoke.
- The battery case is swollen or cracked.
- Cables get hot quickly or clamps spark excessively.