Essential Winter Emergency Kit Items
by Rachel L. Miller

Snow.

It's amazing how one harmless word can make me shudder with distaste. There's only one other word that has the same effect on me: Ice. And having lived in Michigan since birth, I've experienced my share of both. Now if you're a sadist and you want to see me practically convulse with repulsion, just say "driving in snow and ice" — yeah, that'll just about do it.

I think at this point it's needless to say that I loathe winter. And the only thing I hate more than winter is driving in winter weather. I don't know about what it's like where you're from, but here in Detroit, it's insane. At the first sight of snow, metro Detroit motorists switch from slightly mentally ill to downright loony. Drivers tailgating on streets covered in a thick sheet of ice — typical. Motorists going 10 mph on the freeway after seeing a snowflake or two — also normal. Get the picture?

But last winter wasn't quite as bad as the ones preceeding it. Why? Last November, after procrastinating for years, I finally put together a trusty winter emergency kit for my car. And even though I've only used one item from it (a tow rope — my neighbor's car got stuck in snowy ditch last year), I'm definitely not as tense when on the road in winter. Because I know that if my car breaks down or if (heaven forbid) that crazy tailgater pushes me off the road and into a snow bank, I have the basic tools to ensure my safety.

So what does one need in her emergency winter car kit? According to Jim Rink, my trusty source at AAA, these are the items every motorist should have stashed in his or her car:

• flashlight
• flares or reflective triangle
• distress sign
• telephone change
• first aid supplies
• basic tools
• a fully charged cell phone

Other recommended items are:

• boots
• hat
• coat
• gloves
• jumper cables
• carpet strips, sand or kitty litter for traction
• ice scraper and brush
• blanket
• chocolate candy (my favorite part) (CONTINUE...)