Must-Have Items For CX-9 Emergency Kit

Winter is one of the most hazardous driving seasons in North America. The dangers that can present themselves during the winter months have the potential to strand motorists for hours or in some extreme cases even days. Unfortunately, the news usually contains at least one story every winter about someone freezing to death in their cars after sliding off the road during a winter weather event because they were unable to get help and were not properly prepared for the possibility of being stranded for long periods of time.

Depending on if yourCX-9 is Front-wheel or All-Wheel Drive, your car should be average or better than average in "normal" winter driving conditions. This post is not about normal conditions, though; this post is for when you are on a long road trip and a blizzard comes out of nowhere, or an accident shuts down the entire highway for hours.

You might take this as a little alarmist, but the Boy Scouts motto: "Always Be Prepared" holds true. By taking a few simple steps and gathering some supplies that you may already have around your home, you can save your own life and potentially the lives of your family should the worst happen and you become stuck during a winter weather event for an extended period of time. It may seem inconvenient to take up trunk space with these supplies but it is far better to have and not need than need and not have in these kinds of situations.

Read the list carefully and obviously tailor it to your family. Your CX-9 has the capacity to seat 7, so take that into consideration when packing things like food and water:

First off, you should already have these things in your car at all times. If you do not have these items in your car as part of your daily equipment, work on these first:

  • Cell Phone Charger

  • Fire Extinguisher (Dry Chem)

  • Seat Belt Cutter / Window breaker tool

  • First Aid Kit

  • Jumper Cables

  • Road Flares

  • Flat Tire Fix Can

  • Spare Tire and Jack

Almost every car comes with a donut and a bad quality jack. You may wish to get a full size spare or at least a better jack.

The items in this list are more extensive but equally important for a number of situations that might come up while travelling. Feel free to pick and choose from this list, but remember that you never know what will happen on the road - some of these might come in handy in the long run:

  • Spill proof gas can, 2 to 5 gallons

  • Spare car fuses

  • Bottled water, 2 to 3 gallons

  • Granola or energy bars, other "nutritious" snacks

  • Small tool kit with basics like screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench, tire pressure gauge, Duct tape.

  • Flashlight and batteries

  • Folding shovel / entrenching tool

  • Blankets or sleeping bag(s)

  • Antifreeze

  • Two quarts of oil

  • Paper towels, napkins or rags

  • Washer fluid

  • Multi-tool or "Swiss Army" Knife

  • Seasonal supplies (rain gear, umbrella, ice scraper, extra gloves, boots, wool socks, knit cap, etc - weather dependent)

The final thing in this section should be a sturdy box, bag or container in which to store everything. They do not necessarily need to be organized, but you do not want these things just floating around the car in different areas. When items are easy to find in an emergency, it can help relieve stress and worry.

Many of the items on this list may seem unnecessary or silly to carry around all the time. While you may wish to leave them in your CX-9 all the time to make sure you never forget them, some of the larger items can be excluded for "daily driving," and instead make sure to bring them on longer car trips. Also consider different space saving options like vacuum seal bags for items like spare clothes, blankets or sleeping bags.

Many people serious about car safety will have a special bag or backpack that they bring with them everywhere that contains most of the items on the first and a few of the items on the second list. These items can be handy in any situation, not just in the car. Things like a little bottled water, snacks, first aid kit, pen and paper, phone charger, tool kit or Multi-Tool etc.

Now that you've taken the time to consider these items, what steps will you take to incorporate them into your daily or occasional driving habits? Even just a few of these items can greatly decrease inconvenience when emergency or bad luck strikes on the road.