A few years ago, my dad was driving home from work when a snowstorm struck. On an average day, his commute was no picnic, often taking an hour in heavy traffic, but with the snow, crawling along the interstate was guaranteed. So my mom and I waited. And waited. And waited. When he finally walked through the door, it was 8:30 p.m. and he'd been on the road for three hours. Over dinner he revealed that in a fit of desperation, he'd resorted to munching on the only edible things in his car—fruit-flavored antacids and mints.

When Christmas came a couple weeks later, my older sister thought of the perfect gift for our dad: an emergency car kit. Inspired by her idea, I built a kit that'll help you or someone you love get through not just a blizzard, but any awful, unexpected traffic jam. Here's what you need:

Car Emergency Kit

A car kit like this has all your vehicle-emergency basics: electrical tape, jumper cables, bungee cord, a flashlight. If your car doesn't already have one, it's a must.

Shop: Car Emergency Kit ($22.99)

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Solar Cell Phone Charger

Obviously, your car has a battery, but you might not want to waste battery power you'll need to get moving again. Keeping a solar charger on hand ensures you'll always have a way to call for help.

Shop: Power Up USB Portable Solar Battery Cell Phone Charger ($24.99+)

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Snacks

Having some healthy snacks on the go like jerky and trail mix can be real lifesavers because they're easy to munch on, shelf stable, and filling enough that you won't start gnawing on the steering wheel before you make it to your driveway.

Shop: Kar's Trail Mix Variety Pack ($26.99)

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Fidget Spinner

Obviously, if you're still driving keep it out of sight. But if you're at a standstill on the side of the road, see if breaking out all your hot spinner moves helps you flag down some help even faster!

Shop: LED Fidget Spinner Stress and Anxiety Relief Toy ($8.99+)

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Water Bottle

Just make sure you get in the habit of keeping it refilled!

Shop: Boulder TriMax Triple-Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle ($20.99+)

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Heated Coffee Thermos

This is probably the only way that morning coffee is staying hot if you find yourself in a bind. And that's when you're gonna need it the most (trust me).

Shop: Coffee Hug Mug Stainless Steel Coffee Warmer ($14.95)

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Fleece Blanket

Cover it in your favorite photos of places you'd rather be stranded.

Shop: Custom Fleece Photo Blanket ($8+)

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Folding Shovel

Dig yourself out of snow drifts and muddy patches, or just use it to bury your car and go on with life as if you never had one.

Shop: Multipurpose Folding Survival Shovel with Carrying Case ($11.99)

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Drone

 

Send for help. Take an aerial picture of yourself stranded. Or if you're desperate, simply attach your wallet and fly it to the nearest drive-thru to bring you back french fries. Emergency french fries.

 

Shop: Contixo F18 GPS Drove with 1080p FPV Camera ($299)

 

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