If you ask anyone who works at an auto repair shop in St. Paul MN, they can give you a short list of things you should keep in your car. Not everyone will say the same thing, but most can agree on what every driver needs the most. The following is a brief guide to what you should keep in your car for all types of emergency situations. You can keep most of the items neatly tucked away in the back of the trunk, cab, or toolbox if your vehicle has limited space or is a truck.

Items you should always have in case of breaking down.

Basic: At the very least you should have: a spare (full or doughnut), tire pressure gauge, tire iron, jack, flashlight with extra batteries, tire pump (or sealant such as fix a flat), jumper cables, owner’s manual, your normal auto repair shop and towing contact information for your area if you don’t travel far or to your roadside assistance coverage if you have such, duct tape, and WD-40.

These tools and items can help cover some of the most basic causes for a break down. Every driver should known how to fix a flat tire before they even have their license. Knowing this simple repair can allow you to never be stranded from a single tire going flat, so long as you have the tools and a spare on board. Jumper cables can save the day if you happened to of left the lights on in morning before heading into work or class. Keeping the manual on hand can help the DIY out there do some basic trouble shooting and keeping your local garage’s number or roadside service information handy is a must for every driver.

Items to cover any emergency including minor wrecks and being stranded:

In addition to the basic kit: You should have a prepackaged or self packed first aid kit, a small standard toolkit or multi-tool, matches or lighter, emergency food (think energy bars, MRE, jerky, dried nuts, or trail mix), water bottles, weather radio with extra batteries in case your phone dies, flares or reflective triangles, paper maps, and a seat belt cutter with window breaker (should be kept in glove box).

For winter especially: You should also keep an emergency thermal blanket, such as a mylar blanket, cardboard or carpet remnants, regular light blanket, gloves, and knit hats.

While one hopes to never need most the items in a full emergency kit, they can real life savers if the need every arises. Towing and auto repair shops in St. Paul MN will not always be open when emergencies arise. In heavy snows or storms, getting stranded in your car can mean you need to be able to take care until help can arrive. Keeping  a seat belt cutter and window breaker in your glove box can help you get out of a terrible wreck if you get pinned in, or if there is water involved and you need out as quickly as possible. No one likes to think about the worst, but being prepared for it is never a bad thing.