All drivers should keep an emergency kit inside of their vehicle. However, as a semi-truck driver, it is especially important that you not only have an emergency kit inside of your truck, but a winter survival kit as well. You never know when unexpected bad weather may strike and you find yourself stranded on the highway for hours.

Emergency Kit

To start with, you should always carry a basic emergency kit with you. This basic emergency kit should contain supplies to help you troubleshoot any problems that could go wrong with your vehicle.

Your emergency kit should contain the following supplies:

• Road flares
• Flashlight
• First Aid Kit
• Jumper Cables
• Multiple Aerosol Tire Inflators
• Extra Oil
• Extra Antifreeze
• Extra Brake Fluid
• Extra Transmission Fluid
• Extra Winter Windshield Washer Fluid
• A Set Of Working Chains
• Duct Tape
• Emergency Fuses
• Call For Help Sign

You should also add a few extra items during the winter into your kit.

• Towing Strap
• Tire Chains
• Sand Or Kitty Litter
• Shovel

You can stash all of these supplies inside of a cardboard box or inside of a duffel bag. These supplies may be all you need to get back on the road in the case of an emergency.

Winter Safety Kit

In addition to your regular emergency kit, you should also carry a winter safety kit. Storms move fast in the winter, and you do not want to find yourself unprepared if you have to wait for a pass to open or if you are diverted from your normal route. In severe winter weather, you may not even be able to drive anywhere.

Your winter safety kit should include enough food and water to sustain you for a few days. It should also include extra clothing to keep you warm and dry while you wait. Plus, if you have to get out and put on chains, you may get soaked and those extra clothes could come in handy. Here are some items you should pack in order to stay warm and dry:

• Sleeping bag or extra blankets
• 2 pairs of gloves
• A set of extra clothes inside of a waterproof bag
• A raincoat or poncho

You never know how long you could be stuck during a winter storm, which is why you should pack some extra food in your winter emergency kit. That way, you will not be hungry waiting for the roads to clear. Here are a few things you should pack:

• Liquids
  • Gallons of water
  • Plastic water bottles
  • Juice boxes
  • Energy drinks
• Non-perishable food:
  • Energy bars
  • Dried fruit
  • Cereal
  • Apple sauce
  • Dried meat
  • Juice boxes
  • Multivitamins 

If you are going to be sitting on the road for a long time, you may get bored with nothing to do. Make sure you throw a few items into your winter survival kit to keep yourself entertained while you wait out the bad weather.

• Cell phone charger
• Books
• Crossword puzzles

You can put all of these items inside of another duffel bag or cardboard box inside a storage area on your semi-truck.

Make sure you have an emergency vehicle kit that includes a few extra winter supplies to take care of your truck while you are on the road. Make sure you also pack a winter safety kit so you can take care of yourself if you get stuck on the side of the road during a winter weather event. Additionally, keep an roadside emergency number, for a company like Airport Towing, with you in all seasons.