Iowa winter is on its way, and with it comes the white-knuckle drives through dizzying snowstorms to work and the tense trips to visit family. No matter the destination, every winter driver needs to be prepared if something goes wrong. Prepare for breakdowns, spin-outs, highway mishaps, or simply getting stuck in the snow with your LOF-Xpress™ winter-ready Emergency Kit List.

Use our list to assemble an emergency roadside kit for winter, so you’re always prepared in case of a winter driving emergency. A roadside kit can ease the pain and reduce the hassle of breakdowns.

Follow these LOF-Xpress™ approved tips to learn about winter driving risks and prepare an emergency kit for your car, containing the following items:

  1. Ice scraper or snow brush. Visibility is key in the winter months. Having one of these will ensure that you’re able to see safely while driving.
  2. Cell phone charger. A cell phone is your first line of defense in the event of a breakdown. Unfortunately, cold weather drains battery life quickly, so keep a charger handy and never worry about your phone dying.
  3. Blankets. We may be stating the obvious here, but a non-working vehicle, means a non-working heater. Blankets will help keep you warm until help arrives.
  4. Extra warm clothes, hats, and gloves. Consider them your survival suit, should your vehicle break down.
  5. Compact shovel. Stuck in the snow? It’s smart to keep this in your car to dig out tires, if necessary!
  6. Flashlight and batteries. Always carry a flashlight and fresh batteries. It helps you to see and be seen by other drivers. And remember – these days, most smartphones have a built-in flashlight!
  7. Jumper cables. Just like your cell phone battery, your car battery in the cold weather. Cables should be at least 10 feet in length and coated with at least 8-gauge rubber.
  8. First-aid kit.As well as an assortment of Band-Aids, it should include adhesive tape, gauze pads, aspirin, antiseptic wipes, antiseptic cream or ointment, and anything particular to you or your family.
  9. Flares or reflective triangles. You want to be seen if your car breaks down or is stuck. Emergency flashing lights, flares and reflective triangles can alert oncoming traffic of your plight.
  10. Food and Water:It might take some time for help to arrive, and snacks keep you warm and occupied. However, a person can live for days without food, but our bodies need water. Avoid dehydration by stashing several bottles of water in your trunk.

In Iowa, where snowfall is quite common, a winter emergency car kit is essential, but we encourage you to take precautions to avoid getting into an emergency situation. Have our team at LOF-Xpress™ give your car a bumper-to-bumper once-over to ensure it’s ready for winter driving.  We call it our PLUS Full Service Oil Change which includes a Lube-Oil-Filter change along w/ a 12-pt Preventative Maintenance check.  Only takes 25-30 minutes and no appointment is ever needed!