put these things in your car right now

glumshoe:

With much of North America experiencing severe winter weather this week, anyone doing any kind of travel should be prepared with a winter emergency kit.

-A warm coat, blanket, gloves, socks, hat, and hand warmers. Those thermal mylar blankets are a compact and affordable addition.
-Ice scraper and brush
-Jumper cables
-A foldable shovel
-A flashlight
-Emergency road flares or reflectors, to place well behind your vehicle 
-First aid kit
-Multitool
-Tire chains, tow strap
-Flashlight, extra batteries
-Matches, lighter, candles
-High-energy snack food
-Safety absorbent, sand, cat litter, or road salt to provide traction for your wheels
-a hand-crank radio
-More than half a tank of gas

Some of these things can get kind of expensive, but they can be life-saving and are cheaper than an emergency room.