The car emergency kit every Texas driver should carry

Why does a Texas car kit need to be different?

Most emergency kit lists are written with snow in mind. A Texas kit has to plan for heat first. A breakdown on a July afternoon can turn a wait on the shoulder into a health problem, and summer is hard on the car too. AAA calls heat the number one cause of battery failure and reduced battery life.

Texas also floods. TxDOT says flash flooding is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the state. Cold snaps happen as well, which is why the Texas Department of Public Safety puts a blanket, extra warm clothing and an ice scraper on its own kit list. One well-packed bag can cover all three.

What should be in a basic car emergency kit?

Start with the list Texas DPS gives drivers before holiday travel, then fill the gaps with NHTSA and AAA advice. These items handle most roadside problems:

• Drinking water and nonperishable snacks
• A phone charging cable and a portable power bank
• Jumper cables or a portable jump starter
• A tire pressure gauge, a properly inflated spare and the jack and tools to change it
• A flashlight with extra batteries
• A first aid kit and any prescription medications you rely on
• Reflective triangles or flares, and a bright cloth to hang from a window
• Work gloves, rags and a basic toolkit with a screwdriver, pliers and an adjustable wrench
• A blanket, rain gear and a change of clothes
• A paper map or printed directions for when your phone has no signal or no charge

What extra items help in Texas heat?

Water comes first. AAA's hot-weather advice is that even on a short errand, you will be glad to have water and a charged phone with you. Pack enough for everyone who rides with you, pets included, and swap the bottles out regularly so they stay fresh.

Children need a plan of their own. NHTSA warns never to leave children alone in a car, because kids heat up three to five times faster than grown-ups do. If you break down with kids aboard on a hot day and the air conditioning can't run, call 911 at once if anyone shows signs of heat illness. Waiting outside the car has its own risk on a highway, so if you get out, stay well away from traffic and never between the car and the lanes.

Heat also wears batteries out. AAA says most batteries last about three to five years, and an older battery that works fine in mild weather can fail during a heat wave. If yours is in that range, have it tested before summer.

• Extra drinking water for every passenger
• A windshield sunshade
• A hat and sunscreen in case you have to wait outside
• Jumper cables or a charged jump starter, kept where you can reach them

Which tire and battery tools are worth the space?

A tire pressure gauge is small and catches problems early. Check the pressure when the tires are cold, which NHTSA defines as at least three hours after driving, and inflate them to the number on the placard on the driver's door pillar or frame. NHTSA's summer checklist adds a simple reminder: don't forget to check your spare.

Look under the trunk floor before you need to. If your car came with a tire inflator kit instead of a spare, read its instructions and any expiration date printed on it now, not at night on a shoulder. If your wheels have locking lug nuts, keep the key in the glovebox or with the jack.

For the battery, jumper cables work when another car can help. A portable jump starter works on its own, but only if it is charged, so check its charge whenever you check the rest of the kit. If a jump or a tire change isn't something you want to do on the side of the road, Pit Stop does both across Dallas around the clock.

What should you add for floods and winter storms?

The most important flood tool isn't in the bag. It is the decision to turn around. TxDOT warns that as little as six inches of fast-moving water can make drivers lose control, even in a pickup or SUV, and its advice is Turn Around, Don't Drown. If your car stalls in deep water, TxDOT says to leave it and move to higher ground if you can do so safely.

For cold snaps, the DPS list covers the basics. Keep them in the car from late fall through early spring.

• A blanket and extra warm clothing for each person
• Rain gear
• An ice scraper
• Water and snacks, which you still need in the cold

What papers and phone numbers belong in the car?

Texas law requires a driver to show proof of insurance when a peace officer asks, or when someone involved in a collision with you asks. Under Transportation Code 601.053, an image from your insurer displayed on your phone counts, but a paper copy still helps if your phone is dead or broken. Keep it in the glovebox with the owner's manual.

Save these numbers in your phone and also write them on a card in the kit, in case your phone dies.

• 911 for crashes, injuries or a car stranded in a lane of traffic
• Your auto insurer's claims line
• A family member or friend who can come get you
• Pit Stop Roadside Services, (214) 367-5302, for jump starts, flat tires, lockouts, fuel and stuck lug nuts across Dallas

How should you pack and check the kit?

Keep the kit in a bag or bin that won't slide around, and secure anything heavy. Texas DPS reminds drivers to keep cargo secured, and a loose jack or toolbox is the kind of cargo that matters in a hard stop.

AAA suggests checking your kit at least once per season. Replace the water and snacks, test the flashlight, charge the power bank and jump starter, and check the spare's pressure with your gauge. In Texas, the check before summer is the one not to skip.

A kit doesn't replace good choices on the road. On a highway, get the car as far right as it will go, switch on the flashers and stay in your seat with the belt fastened. AAA's rule if you have to get out: leave by the door facing away from traffic and put at least 40 feet between you and the car. If someone is injured, there has been a crash or the car is stranded in a lane of traffic, dial 911 first.