With Missouri’s consistently bipolar weather, here are some basic car necessities to make sure you are traveling safely this winter!

Window Scraper

If you are in a rush to get out the door, and you don’t have time to let your windows defrost, carry a window scraper in your car that way you can save time. The only problem is you have to stand in the cold and vigorously scrape the ice off your windows. But, this brings me to my next necessity.

Coat, Gloves, Blanket, Oh My!

You need to make sure you have warm clothes in case you break down. That’s undisputed because you don’t want to be stuck freezing. Having a blanket is also helpful to use while you drive and are waiting for your heat to turn on.

Jumper Cables

Making sure you have a set of jumper cables is a must for any driver. You never know when you are going to need them, but they always come in handy in case you, or someone else breaks down. Remember red on red and black on black, but hook the black on the dead battery last!

Window Punch/SeatBelt Cutter

If you get in a wreck and are stuck in your car, this is a great thing to have in your door. It has saved so many lives and is pretty inexpensive.

Snacks

In case you break down and Triple A takes forever to get to you, make sure you have water and a stash of individually wrapped snacks just to be safe!

Gas

In the winter it’s always important to make sure you have half a tank of gas or more in case you get stuck in a sticky situation and you can’t get to a gas station.

Hope you enjoyed these life hacks! Let us know which ones you already use or are going to start using!