Winter driving kit: 10 items you shouldn't travel without

The ten items worth the trunk space

A winter kit is about staying warm and visible while help reaches you, not about self-repair. Build it once in autumn and leave it in the vehicle.

1. 1.Wool blanket, spare gloves and a warm hat — heat loss is the real hazard in a stalled car.
2. 2.Folding shovel, traction mats or cat litter, and a stiff snow brush with an ice scraper.
3. 3.Jumper cables or a charged lithium jump pack, plus a power bank for your phone.
4. 4.High-visibility triangle or flares, a headlamp, and a first-aid kit.

Keep the tank above half

Fuel is heat. Half a tank gives you hours of intermittent idling for warmth and removes the risk of a fuel line freezing.

“Clear the exhaust pipe of snow before idling for warmth. A blocked pipe pushes carbon monoxide into the cabin.”