Build your winter car kit
The Highway Code’s own winter emergency kit list, plus the extras the Met Office, National Highways, the RAC and the AA add, sized to who is in the car with you.
Rule 228 of the Highway Code says to take ‘an emergency kit of de-icer and ice scraper, torch, warm clothing and boots, first aid kit, jump leads and a shovel, together with a warm drink and emergency food in case you get stuck or your vehicle breaks down’. That sentence is the spine of this list. The Met Office, National Highways, the RAC and the AA add a phone charger, blankets, hi-vis and sunglasses, and we say plainly which items are optional. The RAC and the AA also suggest an empty fuel can and a paper road atlas; both are optional.
Tell us who’s travelling and the list adjusts: a line for pets, a line for children, and a number wherever the guidance actually gives one. GOV.UK’s winter advice says warm clothes and blankets ‘for you and all passengers’, so those lines count everyone in the car; nobody puts a figure on food or water, so we don’t invent one. Most of the rest is one per car, and you probably own half of it already.
Days are fixed at one. This is a kit for being stuck in snow or a long wait for recovery, not a week away. After a breakdown, Great Britain’s Highway Code says to keep well away from the car and moving traffic where you can, and on a motorway not to go back to it even if it’s cold, which is why the warm layers matter (see the safety notes). For the household version, use the 72-hour home kit builder. Rule 228 also says not to drive in snow or ice unless the journey is essential, which remains the cheapest piece of kit there is.
Who is this for?
Your list: 16 items, 11 essential
You probably own some of this already: only buy the gaps. Each price shows when it was checked.
- Ice scraper and de-icerEssential
First on the Highway Code’s Rule 228 list, and the one you’ll use most. Rule 229 says that before you set off you must clear snow and ice from all your windows and make sure your lights are clean and number plates legible, and that you should demist the windows thoroughly; the AA warns that not clearing snow and ice properly could mean three points and a £100 fine.
One scraper and one can or bottle of de-icer per car; the guidance names them without a quantity, so replace the de-icer when it runs low. A second scraper kept in the house saves opening a frozen car to find the one inside.
Scrapers and de-icers we’ve checked → - Winter screenwashOptional
Winter roads throw up salt and grime, and the RAC notes that conditions can mean the screen needs clearing more than usual. GOV.UK’s ‘Make time for winter’ advice is to check the screenwash once a month; none of the official sources give a temperature rating, so buy one labelled for winter and follow the dilution on the bottle.
Top the reservoir up before any long winter journey. The RAC also suggests carrying spare washer fluid; worth it if you do a lot of motorway miles.
Winter screenwash and de-icer → - TorchEssential
On the Highway Code list. The RAC suggests a large torch with spare batteries, or a wind-up one that needs none, and GOV.UK’s 2013 winter advice says the same. Under a bonnet or beside a wheel you want light you don’t have to hold, so a head torch makes a good second.
The sources name a torch, not a number: one per car plus spare batteries (the RAC and the AA), or a wind-up or rechargeable one. Don’t plan on using your phone’s torch: the Met Office’s winter kit page points out that a phone light won’t give you much to see by at a dark roadside, and you need that battery for the call.
Ledlenser P6R Core Rechargeable Torch£69.95Check price →Compareas of 22 Sep 2026, 22:23 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. - Warm layers: coat, hat, gloves, spare jumper2 setsEssential
‘Warm clothing’ is on the Highway Code list; the Met Office spells it out as a big coat, gloves, a spare jumper and a hat. A breakdown can mean a long wait with no heat, the RAC points out, so dress for the cold rather than relying on the engine: if you’re stuck in snow, the British Red Cross says to run it for no more than a few minutes at a time, and only with the exhaust clear of snow.
A set for everyone in the car: GOV.UK’s winter advice says warm clothes ‘for you and all passengers’, and the RAC says not just for the driver. Think a warm layer, hat and gloves each, including whoever left the house in trainers and a hoodie; babies are the exception, see the children line. A thermal base layer set is the most compact thing to leave in the car; that part is our suggestion.
Thermal base layers we’ve checked → - Blanket or sleeping bag2 Essential
The Met Office, National Highways and the RAC all list blankets, and GOV.UK’s ‘Make time for winter’ advice says warm clothes and blankets ‘for you and all passengers’. A proper blanket from home is the comfortable option; foil emergency blankets or a bivvy bag take the least boot space and are a backstop, not a comfortable night. None of the sources mention sleeping bags, but one does the same job for a night in a seat if you’re stuck in snow.
One each: GOV.UK’s winter advice says warm clothes and blankets ‘for you and all passengers’. Children and anyone who feels the cold get theirs first.
Foil Emergency Survival Blankets (pack)£6.01Check price →Compareas of 22 Sep 2026, 22:23 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. - Boots with gripEssential
On the Highway Code list, and the RAC says boots with a good grip. If you have to get out and walk to an emergency phone or the nearest house, or dig the car out, you want dry feet and a sole that grips; driving shoes give you neither.
A pair for the driver at least; the guidance doesn’t count them. An old pair left in the boot costs nothing, with a pair of thick socks tucked inside.
- Food, water and a hot drinkEssential
The Highway Code says ‘a warm drink and emergency food’; the RAC suggests a big flask of hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate or soup, and National Highways and the British Red Cross add water. Long-life snacks that don’t mind a cold boot, bottled water, and a flask filled before you leave.
None of the sources give a quantity or a per-person figure, so we won’t invent one: enough that everyone in the car could go a night without a shop. Swap the snacks each autumn and fill the flask before every long winter trip.
Wayfayrer Ready-to-Eat Meal Pouch£7.88Check price →Compareas of 22 Sep 2026, 22:23 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. - Phone charger and power bankEssential
Rule 228’s winter list doesn’t name one, but Great Britain’s Highway Code (Rule 97) recommends having a mobile phone with emergency contacts, such as your breakdown service, for emergency use. National Highways and the AA say a fully charged phone; the Met Office, National Highways, the RAC and the AA all name an in-car charger; and the RAC, the AA and the British Red Cross add a portable battery pack.
An in-car charger with a cable that fits your phone, and a power bank kept charged: one per car, a second if several people rely on their phones. A jump starter with USB ports counts.
INIU B5 20000mAh Power Bank£26.99Check price →Compareas of 22 Sep 2026, 22:23 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. - Jump leads or a jump starterEssential
‘Jump leads’ are on the Highway Code list, and the Met Office, the RAC, the AA and the British Red Cross name them too. A portable jump starter isn’t named by any of them, but it does the same job without a second car and many double as a power bank. Either way, read how to jump start a car before you need to.
One set of leads or one jump starter per car. If you choose a pack, check it’s rated for your engine size, and for diesel if that’s what you drive, and keep it charged as the maker advises; a flat jump starter is just a heavy box.
AstroAI B8 Car Jump Starter Power PackTop pick: NOCO Boost Plus GB40 Jump Starter — £93.49as of 22 Sep 2026, 22:23 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.£29.96Check price →Compareas of 22 Sep 2026, 22:23 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. - First aid kitEssential
On the Highway Code list, and its first aid annex says to always carry one. The RAC points to the British Standards Institution’s national standard for first aid in motor vehicles and says a small kit should include sterile cleansing wipes, washproof plasters in assorted sizes, dressings, scissors, nitrile gloves and a resuscitation face shield. The AA names the same basics.
One per car; a small kit is fine. Check it each autumn when you put the winter kit together, and replace anything used or out of date.
First aid kits we’ve checked → - Hi-vis vestEssential
The Highway Code (Rule 276) says to help other road users see you if you break down: light-coloured or fluorescent clothing in daylight, reflective clothing at night or in poor visibility. On a motorway, Rule 277 adds ‘put on high-visibility clothing if you have it and it is within easy reach’. A vest is the simplest way to do both. The RAC notes it’s required by law in France and Spain.
Not compulsory in Great Britain, but the Highway Code there recommends having high-visibility clothing for emergencies (Rule 97; Northern Ireland’s Code has no such line). One for each person who might get out of the car, kept in the door pocket or glovebox rather than the boot so it’s ‘within easy reach’, as Rule 277 puts it.
Car kits that include a vest → - Warning triangleOptional
Highway Code Rule 276: put a warning triangle on the road at least 45 metres (147 feet) behind your broken-down car on the same side of the road, take great care placing and retrieving it, and never use one on a motorway. The Code doesn’t make you carry one: in Great Britain the AA describes a triangle as recommended but not compulsory.
One, placed the way the Highway Code describes: at least 45 metres behind the car on the same side of the road, and never on a motorway. The RAC (whose advice the Met Office’s winter kit page repeats) and the AA suggest a second for in front of the car, and the RAC notes triangles are a legal requirement in many European countries, so check the rules before you drive abroad. Only put them out where you can do it safely.
Triangles and breakdown kits we’ve checked → - ShovelEssential
On the Highway Code list. It’s for digging the wheels out of a drift or clearing packed snow from around the car; the RAC suggests a folding one if boot space is tight. If you’re stuck, the British Red Cross says to make sure the exhaust isn’t blocked with snow, and the shovel is how you keep it clear.
One per car. A folding or telescopic shovel stores flat; a garden spade works if you have the boot for it.
Folding shovels and other winter kit → - Traction aid: snow socks or chainsOptional
Not on any of the official winter kit lists, so genuinely optional. Snow socks are the simpler choice for the odd UK snowfall: fabric covers that pull over the driven wheels. Chains suit regular hilly or alpine driving. Buy the size for your tyres, and follow the maker’s instructions on when to fit them and when to take them off again.
One pair for the driven wheels, if at all. A driver who follows the Highway Code and avoids non-essential journeys in snow may never need them.
Snow socks and chains, sized to your tyres → - Tyre inflator, or check the spareOptional
An editorial addition: none of the official winter lists include it. If your car came with a tyre sealant kit rather than a spare wheel, a 12V or cordless inflator earns its space. Before winter, check the spare’s pressure, the jack and, as the RAC suggests, where the locking wheel nut key is.
One per car if you don’t have a spare, optional if you do. The tyre law applies all year, not just in winter (Highway Code Annex 6): tyres inflated to the maker’s specification for the load, and at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tread’s breadth, all the way round. The annex says to check pressures weekly, with the tyres cold.
Ring RTC2000 Tyre Inflator£29.66Check price →Compareas of 22 Sep 2026, 22:23 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. - SunglassesOptional
Not in the Highway Code’s list, but the Met Office, National Highways, the RAC, the AA and GOV.UK’s 2013 winter advice all include them: low winter sun dazzles, and the AA’s advice is simply to keep a pair in the car.
One pair, left in the car so they’re there. Any pair; nothing to buy specially.
We don’t add these up: each price is shown beside its item, and you’ll probably only need some of them.
Rule 228 of the Highway Code: in winter, check the local forecast for warnings of ice or snow, and don’t drive in those conditions unless the journey is essential. If you must travel, tell someone your route and when you expect to arrive (British Red Cross). The best kit is the one you never needed.
Broken down: get the car off the road if you can, use your hazard lights if it’s causing an obstruction, wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing in daylight and reflective clothing at night or in poor visibility, and don’t stand between the car and oncoming traffic. A warning triangle goes at least 45 metres behind the car on the same side of the road, placed with great care, and never on a motorway (Highway Code Rule 276; Rule 274 in Northern Ireland’s Code). In Great Britain, Rule 275 adds that you and your passengers should, where possible, keep well away from the car and moving traffic.
Broken down on a motorway: leave at the next exit or services if you can; otherwise get into an emergency area or onto the hard shoulder, get out on the side away from traffic if it’s safe, and wait well away from the car and moving traffic, behind the barrier if there is one. The Highway Code says not to go back to the car ‘even if it’s raining, cold or dark’, so keep your hi-vis and a warm layer inside the car where you can take them as you get out, not in the boot. If you can’t reach a safe place or get out safely, stay in with your seat belt and hazard lights on and call 999 for the police (Rule 277; Northern Ireland’s Rule 275 differs on where to wait, see below).
Stuck in snow: the British Red Cross advises staying in your car, running the engine for no more than a few minutes at a time and making sure the exhaust isn’t blocked with snow. The NHS warns that running a vehicle engine in an enclosed space, such as a garage, can cause a build-up of carbon monoxide; know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Before you move off, clear snow and ice from every window, make sure your lights are clean and number plates legible, and clear any snow that could fall into the path of other road users (Highway Code Rule 229). A porthole scraped in the windscreen isn’t enough.
Northern Ireland has its own Highway Code, published by nidirect. Its winter kit rule is also Rule 228, and its breakdown rule is Rule 274 (Rule 276 in Great Britain), with the same advice on hazard lights, reflective clothing and triangles, including never using a triangle on a motorway. Its motorway rule (275) also says to get out by the left-hand door and keep animals in the car, but it tells you to return and wait near your vehicle, well away from the carriageway and hard shoulder, where Great Britain’s Code says not to go back to it; and it doesn’t carry Great Britain’s Rule 97 advice on keeping a phone and hi-vis for emergencies.
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Questions
What does the Highway Code say to keep in your car in winter?
Rule 228 lists de-icer and an ice scraper, a torch, warm clothing and boots, a first aid kit, jump leads, a shovel, a warm drink and emergency food, ‘in case you get stuck or your vehicle breaks down’. It doesn’t mention a phone charger, blankets, hi-vis or sunglasses, though in Great Britain Rule 97 recommends a mobile phone with emergency contacts and high-visibility clothing for emergencies; the rest come from the Met Office, National Highways, the RAC and the AA, and each line in this builder says where it comes from. Read driving in snow and ice for the rules on the road itself.
Do I legally have to carry a warning triangle or a hi-vis vest in the UK?
No. In Great Britain the AA describes both as recommended but not compulsory, and neither Great Britain’s nor Northern Ireland’s Highway Code makes carrying either one a ‘MUST’. The breakdown rule (Rule 276) says where to place a triangle, at least 45 metres behind the car on the same side of the road, and never to use one on a motorway. The RAC notes that hi-vis is required by law in France and Spain, and warning triangles in many European countries. A vest is still worth carrying: the Code recommends high-visibility clothing for emergencies (Rule 97), tells you to wear reflective clothing at night or in poor visibility if you break down (Rule 276), and on a motorway says to put it on ‘if you have it and it is within easy reach’ (Rule 277).
Jump leads or a jump starter pack?
Jump leads are what the Highway Code, the Met Office, the RAC, the AA and the British Red Cross name, and they need a second car with a good battery. A portable jump starter works on its own and many can charge a phone too, but it has to be kept charged to be any use, and rated for your engine. Whichever you carry, our guide on how to jump start a car covers the order to connect things and when not to try.
How much food and water should be in a winter car kit?
There’s no official figure. The Highway Code says ‘a warm drink and emergency food’, the Met Office says food and drink, and the RAC suggests a big flask of something hot; none of them give a per-person or per-hour amount, so we don’t either. Pack for one unplanned night for everyone in the car, fill the flask before a long trip, and refresh the snacks each autumn. Household water quantities are a different job, covered by the home kit builder.
Are snow socks or chains worth it in the UK?
They’re not on any of the official winter kit lists, so treat them as optional. Snow socks are the simpler choice for occasional snow; chains suit regular driving on hilly or alpine roads. If you buy either, get the size for your tyres and follow the maker’s instructions on when to fit and remove them. A driver who heeds the Highway Code’s advice not to travel in snow unless the journey is essential may never use them.
Can I just buy a ready-made car emergency kit?
Yes, as a starting point, but contents vary a lot: some are breakdown bundles (triangle, tow rope, jump leads, foot pump), others winter bundles (shovel, torch, hi-vis, foil blanket, jump leads). Check the box against this list and fill the gaps: food, a hot drink and warm layers come from home anyway, and neither of the bundles we’ve checked includes a proper first aid kit. Our car emergency kits page compares what’s inside.
Sources: Highway Code: driving in adverse weather conditions (rules 226 to 237) · Highway Code: breakdowns and incidents (rules 275 to 287) · Highway Code: rules for drivers and motorcyclists (89 to 102) · Highway Code: rules about animals (47 to 58) · Highway Code: Annex 6, vehicle maintenance, safety and security · Highway Code: Annex 7, first aid on the road · Met Office WeatherReady: prepare a winter kit for your car · National Highways: travelling in snow and ice · RAC: winter breakdown kit checklist · The AA: winter car essentials checklist · The AA: driving in Great Britain (equipment that is recommended, not compulsory) · GOV.UK: Make time for winter, advice to motorists (Highways Agency, 2013) · British Red Cross: prepare for snow and cold winter weather · NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning · The Lullaby Trust: car seats · The Lullaby Trust: cold weather · nidirect: breakdowns and incidents (Northern Ireland Highway Code) · nidirect: driving in adverse weather conditions (Northern Ireland Highway Code, 226 to 237) · nidirect: rules for drivers and motorcyclists (Northern Ireland Highway Code, 89 to 102) · nidirect: rules about animals (Northern Ireland Highway Code, 47 to 58)