Stuck or stranded in a car
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Keep a bag of kitty litter in your vehicle to pour under tires for traction if stuck in snow, mud, or ice.
Kitty litter provides better traction than fine-grained sand and can help free wheels that have spun without movement.
- Use a generous amount; using too little may cause you to dig in further.
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- If your tires spin on ice or snow, use cheap cat litter or decorative rocks to gain traction.2
Keep a wool blanket in your car year-round for warmth, air conditioning needs, or hygiene.
Wool repels water, keeps you warm when wet, and is easier to clean than car seats.
- Avoid damp blankets as they cause condensation and smells.
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- Store a reasonably large blanket in your vehicle for warmth during breakdowns, covering valuables, or insulating takeout meals.3
Avoid using summer tires in cold rain or snow, as they may lose grip and cause loss of control.
One person reported their car spinning into a wall while driving at 55 mph in cold rain with summer tires.
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Wear merino wool socks.
They prevent cold feet.
- They are expensive.
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Keep emergency blankets, hand warmers, boot warmers, candy bars, and water bottles in your car.
Keep winter boots in your car in case you get stuck somewhere.
They are a life saver if you are stranded.
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- Keep spare warm clothing items such as blankets, gloves, hats, scarves, socks, and boots in your vehicle trunk for long-distance winter travel.1
- Keep emergency blankets, hand warmers, boot warmers, candy bars, and water bottles in your car.3
Throw blankets over your car if hail threatens to destroy it.
It provides protection against hail damage.
- Some people with gap insurance or upside-down loans may choose not to do this.
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Carry space saver foil blankets in your vehicle.
They could save your life by retaining body heat.
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- Keep emergency foil blankets in your glovebox.1
Include dry food you do not like in your emergency kit to prevent snacking.
If you like the food, you may snack on it prematurely.
- Some disagree, noting that comfort food can provide a small escape from stress during emergencies.
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Use Mylar emergency blankets to stay warm in a stranded vehicle.
They likely keep you warmer than other methods and do not consume oxygen.
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Dress in weather-appropriate clothing even if you do not plan to exit the vehicle.
You may be forced to walk if your car breaks down or an accident occurs.
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Watch out for drivers in 4x4 trucks who may spin out because they falsely believe four-wheel drive improves braking or steering.
Four-wheel drive does not improve braking or steering.
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Always wear appropriate shoes, not flip-flops, when changing a tire in cold weather.
Changing a tire in flip-flops in cold weather is extremely unpleasant.
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Wear a jacket while driving in freezing temperatures to prevent freezing if stranded.
People have nearly frozen to death when their vehicles broke down without jackets.
- One source suggests wearing a jacket might increase risk by interfering with the seat belt.
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Check your tire pressure regularly in cold weather.
Cold weather lowers air pressure in tires.
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Keep contractor trash bags in your winter car kit.
They are much more durable than standard bags.
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Keep folding camp chairs or an outdoor blanket in your trunk.
They come in handy when stranded or waiting.
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Store nitrile and cold-weather gloves, large zip ties, and cash in your car for roadside repairs and emergencies.
Gloves aid in fixing flats; zip ties can temporarily secure body panels; cash is useful in emergencies.
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Keep a towel in your car to use as a blanket, protect against spills, shield car seats during sickness or potty training, and clean children.
It protects against spills, shields car seats during sickness or potty training, and can be used to clean children.
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Run up and down stairs to generate body heat when feeling chilly.
Physical activity warms you up.
- Not all living situations allow this.
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Do not stop for hitchhikers or strangers waving for help on the side of the road.
- One person reported that a hitchhiker later assaulted and robbed an elderly couple who stopped for him.
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Avoid keeping bottled water or drinks in your car during subzero weather.
They can explode.
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Add reflective vests to your emergency kit.
Some countries require them.
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Ensure tires are good quality and properly inflated.
Tires are the only part of the vehicle that touches the road.
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Keep a spare car battery in your vehicle.
Even quality batteries fail.
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Pair emergency blankets with old blankets for warmth.
Emergency blankets are very warm and inexpensive.
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Store emergency water in large plastic totes placed inside the bathtub rather than filling the tub directly.
Bathtub drains often leak, causing loss of stored water.
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Keep clean underwear in your glove compartment.
You are likely to end up with soiled underwear if you are involved in an accident.
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Add non-drivers to a household's roadside assistance account for a small fee so they can call for help if stranded.
it allows people without vehicles to get help, such as when staying on a parent's account through college
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Wrap a towel around your face for warmth if stranded in extreme cold.
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Include sweets with a long shelf life in your emergency kit for energy.
they provide great energy
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Keep extra Army surplus jackets and wool blankets in your car to help others in emergencies.
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Note that car electrical systems may remain functional when submerged in fresh water.
Fresh water is a poor conductor of electricity, allowing solid-state electronics to last while submerged.
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Rotate emergency food supplies in your car regularly to prevent spoilage.
Food can degrade over time, such as granola bars becoming chewy.
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Keep a charged battery pack separate from your emergency phone so it does not drain continuously.
A disconnected battery retains its charge better than one constantly connected.
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Ensure your windscreen washer fluid is winterized before driving into colder climates to prevent freezing and damage.
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Maintain separate summer and winter addon kits for your car, switching them out seasonally.
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Use a center-punch tool as an alternative for breaking windows.
One person found it small, cheap, efficient, and effective every time.
- Effectiveness versus proper tools is uncertain; use at your own risk.
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Cover windows with plastic or clear bubble wrap to retain heat.
It keeps heat in.
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Cover items in your car with a towel arranged messily to deter break-ins.
It makes it look like nothing is covered.
- It is not foolproof.
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If a child's head is stuck in a railing, try turning them upside down to slide their head out face-first.
The ears often get in the way; if they entered forward, flipping the child around may allow exit.
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Cover all car glass with mylar blankets if broken down in hot sun to prevent cooking from the greenhouse effect.
Covering the glass keeps the internal heat far lower than leaving it exposed.
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Close your eyes when swinging at a window.
Glass flies everywhere, and closing your eyes helps prevent injury to your eyes.
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Do not remove headrests from seats; keep them installed.
Headrests prevent neck injuries in collisions.
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Consider carrying a knife with a built-in glass breaker to avoid dropping separate tools during panic.
People who do not use separate tools often might drop them while panicked.
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Keep a dedicated seatbelt cutter and window hammer in your vehicle instead of relying on knives or scissors.
Loose items like knives go flying in accidents and become inaccessible; airbags deflate quickly due to large vents.
- Do not carry accessible knives in the driver's seat area.
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Do not drive if you do not feel safe doing so, provided you have the option to stay home.
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Consider maintaining comprehensive insurance coverage for glass, theft, and acts of God.
It is usually pretty cheap.
- Some people drop this coverage once their car reaches a certain age or mileage.
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Verify that your car's headrests are detachable before relying on them for emergency window breaking.
Some cars do not have detachable headrests.
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If you must exit a running car, roll the window down enough to reach the interior door handle first.
Some vehicles automatically lock doors when closed with the key in the ignition, and exterior keypads may be disabled while the engine is running, which can trap you inside.
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If you are concerned about passenger attacks on a train, sit in the conductor's carriage.
One person reported that troublemakers tend to congregate in the end cars, making the conductor's area safer from assault than from crash risk.
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Roll down the window before leaving a running car.
Prevents locking yourself out and avoiding locksmith fees.
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Use a proper ice scraper instead of improvised tools like coffee mugs to avoid scratching windshields.
Using improper tools can result in scratched windshields that are unsafe and expensive to repair.
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Bend a wire coat hanger into the undercarriage so it is not visible unless viewed from underneath, allowing you to unlock the door if you lock your keys inside.
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