15 Things You Should Always Keep in Your Car

I keep a lot of crap in my car. Some of it's for preparedness reasons. So of it's collateral damage from my daily commutes.

Now the thoughtful folks at Ready.gov have come up with a helpful list of stuff you should keep in your car at all times.

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Are you keeping these things in your car? You should be. Here are the 15 items you should always have in your car:

1. Jumper cables.
2. At least one flashlight with extra batteries.
3. A first aid kit.
4. Non-perishable food. Meaning canned food and things like energy bars.
5. A can opener.
6. At least three gallons of water per person. Which means TWELVE gallons for a family of four. But that's really just if you're driving through the middle of nowhere or going camping. Otherwise it's overkill, and you'll just get terrible gas mileage.
7. A basic toolkit with a wrench, pliers, and a screwdriver.
8. Food and water for your pets.
9. A hand-cranked radio, or one that uses batteries.
10. Cat litter or sand to give your wheels better traction if you get stuck.
11. A shovel. It's especially important in the winter, in case you need to dig your car out of the snow.
12. An ice scraper, unless you never drive anywhere cold.
13. Extra clothes, including a jacket.
14. A blanket or sleeping bag.
15. Your old cell phone, and make sure it stays charged. Even if it's deactivated, any cell phone can call 911.

Are you keeping these things in your car? You should be.