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Using the car in an emergency

Build a car emergency kit: jump starter, tyre repair, winter kit and what to keep in the boot for a breakdown or evacuation.

By Slightly Anxious

1st July 2026 14 minute read

IN SHORT

As a general rule, do not drive in a crisis: keep the roads clear for the emergency services. If you must, set off with a full tank, a spare can of fuel and the kit to sit it out safely in your car.

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Your car is probably the best survival tool you own. This is because it has the ability to rapidly transport you and your loved ones to a place of safety and so remove you all from harm’s way. That is the theory anyway. As with all things emergency preparedness, the detail is a bit more complicated. Your car is vitally important but it needs preparation and then to be used correctly.

Your car as an escape route

First let us be clear that your car is useful in an emergency as a means of evacuation. If you read our articles, found on our website, you will see that a lot of the emergency preparedness we discuss involves you being isolated at home for up to a week. This does rather make having a vehicle redundant. To some extent this is true, your car, if electric, is still sitting on a massive battery which in many makes of car will allow you to plug appliances in to so it can be helpful that way. It may also serve as additional storage for emergency supplies and equipment, but do be aware that in a crisis these have a premium so if visible in your car, you may get broken in to.

Your car is at its most valuable as your means for escape. As you will have read in our articles; Slightly Anxious about rising water levels and Slightly Anxious about approaching flames, this is the most critical with flooding and wildfires. You need to get out, away as far as possible and as quickly possible and that is where your car becomes invaluable. We should also add that there may be times of heightened political tension when you might decide that you need to move you and yours to a less risky location, out of the city centre and towards the country as an example. This is also where your vehicle is vital.

If you are stranded in your car

Pull right off the road: emergency vehicles will be moving fast
Keep clear of trees and power lines in a storm
Put out road flares and a warning triangle
Run the hazard lights if the battery allows
Wear a high-vis jacket and head torch whenever you get out
Keep at least half a tank of fuel or charge at all times

Get your car ready

To prepare your car for emergencies, the first step is just good car ownership in making sure that your car is well maintained and serviced on a regular basis. You should always ensure that you have a least a half tank of petrol or charge of battery so you can go at a moment’s notice, a full tank or charge is definitely preferable.

A Grab Bag for the car

As you would have read in our article, Slightly Anxious says get a Grab Bag, a vital part of your emergency preparation is ensuring you have a Grab Bag close to your door, full of your emergency kit, so you are ready to go. Each member of your party, including your pets should have a Grab Bag. Your car should also have a Grab Bag and that’s should live permanently in your car.

We recommend that you have a personal Grab Bag, as detailed in the article, which contains food, water, medical supplies, power bank(s), radio, documents and clothing and then you have a car-related Grab Bag.

Having a personal Grab Bag and a car Grab Bag, means that you can easily move from the vehicle with your own emergency gear and leave the car Grab Bag in the car. You might need to do a quick exit from the vehicle and so just grabbing a bag and not having to sort out what you need and don’t will save precious time.

Your car Grab Bag should contain equipment that ensures that if you get stranded in your car for whatever reason, you can survive and if you suffer a mechanical problem, you can hopefully fix it, we suggest it should contain the following:

A jump starter – you need the battery of your car to start the starter motor to get the engine going. Unfortunately, user error such as leaving headlamps or radios on while the engine is off will drain the battery, as will extremely cold weather. Just having an older car or only making short trips will make the battery life poorer as well, so a jump starter is an essential addition to any emergency car kit – an example is Noco Boost GB20: 500A UltraSafe Jump Starter – 12V Lithium Battery Booster Pack, Portable Jump Box, Power Bank & Jumper Cables at c.£80-£110
Shovel – if its cold and snowy, you may need to dig your car out of a snow drift, you may also need to scrape ice off the windows. This example comes with both – Snow Shovel, Ice Scraper and Snow Brush Kit at c.£20-£25
De-icer – as its says, you remove snow, then spray on windows and it will de-ice them with the help of the above ice scraper – an example is AA - Car Essentials Pack - 1L Fast Acting De-Icer - Pack x2 at c.£14-£20
Traction mats – deep snow can mean your car’s tyres can't get traction and just spin with you moving nowhere, the same is true with mud and ice. These rollable plastic mats solve the problem and provide the traction to get moving – an example is Tangzon 2PCS Recovery Traction Boards, Portable Emergency Traction Tracks at c.£30-£40
Blankets – you will hopefully have the foil emergency blankets in your personal Grab Bags, these blankets are made of a thermal fleece material to keep you warm and comfy, especially necessary if stranded in winter cold, they also can be thrown over your gear to disguise it – an example is Milestone Camping 24680 Thermal Polar Fleece at c.£12-£16
Car jack and wrench kit – self-explanatory, the tools you will need if you (or somebody) have to change a tyre. Please check that you have a spare one! This comes with a 2-ton scissor jack, a labour-saving ratchet wrench, a dual-size telescopic lug wrench, protective gloves, a tyre pressure gauge, and a heavy-duty storage bag – an example is GilesEdward 2 Tonne Scissor Jack Kit for Car SUV Universal Tyre Change Tool Set at c.£30-£40
Tire inflator – any replacement tyre or tyre whose puncture you’ve fixed will need inflating and this will do it lightning fast, needs 12v power so either using a plug in your car or a power station (see below) – an example is Noco Air10: Ultra-fast 10A Tire Inflator – 12V Portable Air Compressor at c.£90-£130
Tyre Sealant – this contains a liquid sealant foam designed to temporarily seal punctures in tyres. It’s a quicker alternative to replacing a punctured tyre. You connect it to the tyre and it will pump the sealant into it and effectively seal punctures so that you can travel for a further 100 miles at a maximum speed of 50mph – an example is Holts Tyreweld Puncture Sealant 500ml, Emergency Tyre Repair Foam at c.£10-£14
Emergency car kit – as required in some European countries, this kit comes with some duplicates and comprises of a warning triangle, jump leads, high vis vest, tow rope, vehicle fuse, emergency hammer (glass breaker / seatbelt cutter), torch, tyre pressure gauge, emergency blanket, rain poncho, screw driver, gloves, emergency blanket and a carry bag – an example is Car Emergency Breakdown Safety Kit 13-in-1 Europe Travel Driving Kit at c.£20-£30

OUR PICK

Snow Shovel, Ice Scraper and Snow Brush Kit

c.£20-£25. Dig out of a drift and clear the windows.

View on Amazon

Kit for breakdowns and cold weather

This equipment looks after your car in cold weather and if it has mechanical issues. The following items are a collection of ‘useful to haves’:

An umbrella – always useful to have one in the car during normal times and especially useful if venturing forth in the rain – an example is Weatherman Premium Collapsible Small Travel Umbrella at c.£60-£80
Waterproof walking shoes – having a spare pair in the car is always useful as you may not have had time to change into them before you evacuated. They are useful as there is always the chance you may need to leave the vehicle and walk – an example is Merrell Speed Strike Gore-TEX Walking Boots at c.£80-£100
Spare phone and SIM – having a mobile phone that is charged and having a SIM card does not automatically men that you will be able to communicate as often in times of emergency, especially with wildfires and floods, mobile phone networks can go down. However, it is worth having a spare just in case you forget your main phone and the networks are still up – the options are endless and we recommend you read our article, ‘How to keep informed and keep talking in a time of crisis’ to see the best options for you.
Duct tape – this has a million uses and usually they only materialise when you need it most, it can literally be a life saver – an example is Duct Tape, 48mm x 18m (Pack of 3) Gaffer Tape 210μ Black Tape Waterproof Tape at c.£8-£12
Multitool – multiple tools in one small package that has multiple uses, such as cutting seatbelts, basic vehicle repairs, tightening clamps/battery terminals, the list is endless – an example is Leatherman 2H Wave+ Multi-Tool - 18-in-1 Heavy-Duty Stainless Steel Tool at c.£120-£160
Fire extinguisher – every car should have one and more so in times of crisis, this example comes with a fitting to bolt to the vehicle and a very useful first aid kit - FireShield 1Kg ABC Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher & Astroplast Van & Truck First Aid Kit at c.£35-£45

This list is designed around the concept that it will be for the car’s Grab Bag and that you will have your own personal Grab Bag and that personal Grab Bag should include a first aid kit, sufficient food and water, warm clothing, emergency blankets, flashlight/head torch/compact torch, radio, spare batteries, some cash and most importantly your paperwork. You paper work consists of your emergency plan, which includes maps, alternative routes, contact details of who you need to inform of your destination and ETA and your personal documents, which are copies of your passport, birth certificate, property deeds/rental contract, insurance, medical notes and prescriptions. If you are a member of Slightly Anxious then we can help provide you with laminated emergency plans that will include local maps and your contact details. If your personal Grab Bags don’t have all they require, use this opportunity to plenish them.

This list is designed around the concept that it will be for the car’s Grab Bag and that you will have your own personal Grab Bag and that personal Grab Bag should include a first aid kit, sufficient food and water, warm clothing, emergency blankets, flashlight/head torch/compact torch, radio, spare batteries, some cash and most importantly your paperwork. Your paper work consists of your emergency plan, which includes maps, alternative routes, contact details of who you need to inform of your destination and ETA and your personal documents, which are copies of your passport, birth certificate, property deeds/rental contract, insurance, medical notes and prescriptions. If you are a member of Slightly Anxious then we can help provide you with laminated emergency plans that will include local maps and your contact details. If your personal Grab Bags don’t have all they require, use this opportunity to plenish them.

You might also consider, in a time of increased risk, adding these items to your car boot:

Extra petrol – always useful as there will undoubtedly be shortages in an emergency, use the best appropriate container you can – an example is Bonnlo 20L Petrol Can Fuel Oil Storage Can Metal Jerry Diesel Tank with Flexi Spout at c.£25-£35
Extra food and water – enough for about 3 days, if it's going to be left in the car for a period of time get shelf stable items like energy bars, flapjacks, trail mix, nuts, jerky, glucose sweets and emergency ration bars. Bottled water needs replacing every six months.
Power station – have a read of our article, ‘What to do when the power goes out’, having power will always be useful, you need to weigh up the benefits with the cost. Power banks may be the alternative.
Extra spare tyre – there’s a good chance that if one tyre blows another will also go, so adding an additional spare tyre has its uses, it also takes up much needed space. You need to decide, get one that fits your car obviously
Emergency road flares – if you’re stranded by the side of the road and its getting dark, your biggest danger is someone running into you, you put these out to warn people– an example AA LED Road Flares at c.£30-£40

OUR PICK

AA LED Road Flares

c.£30-£40. Warn other drivers if you are stuck by the roadside after dark.

View on Amazon

Now that we’ve given you a thorough list of the equipment you need to make your vehicle emergency prepared, we need to discuss driving in times of emergency.

Should you drive at all?

As a general rule in times of crisis you shouldn’t drive. The roads will need to be left clear for emergency service vehicles and even the military. Furthermore, in these times, fuel may run out and electronic payment methods may fail so even if there is fuel it might not be possible to pay for it. When fuel runs out, cars eventually stop working and this can happen on the roads causing blockages and traffic jams. When you factor in that if it’s a location specific emergency, people will often flee in their cars and that just adds to the congestion. It is no surprise that when you see video footage of disasters, the roads are either completely empty or completely blocked.

When you have to go

When you really do need to use your car is when you have to evacuate at the first signs of potential flooding or a wildfire. As we will keep repeating ad infinitum, you must leave at the earliest opportunity as this is when you have the best chance of survival. If you’ve taken our advice and grabbed your personal Grab Bag and jumped into your fully charged/full fuel tank vehicle which has its own Grab Bag and you’ve got your map and choice of escape routes then off you go.

Hopefully, the worst you will come across is congestion. Remember that this is preferable to setting off over routes you’ve never travelled before and don’t know what conditions to expect. Proper roads that travel at a snails pace are better than unknown routes that may seem quicker until it goes drastically wrong.

Driving in extreme weather

Extreme weather is always a potential risk. It’s obviously better to be in a car than outside in it but cars bring their own issues. Never drive through flooded roads as you won't know what is in the water, how deep it is and it doesn’t need much flood water to sweep your car away. If you get stuck in floodwater – abandon the vehicle and make for dry land. A floating vehicle doesn’t float for long!

If you have to stop

In other instances it is just safer to stay in your car. If the weather gets too bad; rain, wind or snow and you can't properly see the road ahead, the road conditions are bad or you just feel unsafe, then pull over. If it’s too dark, pull over. Your car is in fact a mini-emergency shelter. With all the kit detailed above and in the other articles, you should have sufficient supplies to last for at least until the weather improves. Just remember some simple rules:

Pull completely off the road and ensure you are not sticking out in any way – emergency and military vehicles will be driving at speed
Keep clear of trees and power lines if in a storm/lightning
Use your road flares and warning triangle to warn other vehicles
Check the car’s battery to see if you can keep the hazard lights on, even if it’s just intermittently
Wear your high-vis jacket and head torch every time you leave the vehicle

If you’ve done what we suggested and had a full fuel tank at the start of the journey and you’ve got a jerry can of spare fuel, then you can turn the engine on periodically to provide heat if its cold and use the recirculating air conditioning if the air is full of smoke/ash. In both cases remember to keep windows and air vents closed. You can use blankets against the windows for extra insulation.

In some ways we hope that all your emergency preparation for your vehicle is a complete waste of time. That’s because you will be forced to use it when the level of crisis has reached severe and you are at a heightened level of risk. Hopefully, this article as well as all our other articles will have given you enough information to make all the preparation necessary so that should the worst happen, you are in the best position to deal with it.

Car Grab Bag

Item

Example

Guide Price

Snow shovel and scraper

Snow Shovel, Ice Scraper and Snow Brush Kit

c.£20-£25

De-icer

AA Car Essentials 1L De-Icer (2 pack)

c.£14-£20

Road flares

AA LED Road Flares