'If you are not prepared, you are going to get into trouble': AMA urges roadside emergency kits

Being prepared with a roadside emergency kit for your car is the best way to avoid trouble on the road, an Alberta Motor Association operator says.

"It's important. If you are not prepared, you are going to get into trouble," Neal Joad, a service vehicle operator with the association, tells CBC News.

"We are quoting up to 24 hours for service," Joad explains of some recent response times.

"Most people carry a cell phone and are going to have somebody pick them up, but even waiting for a friend, you could wait for a couple of hours the way the traffic is right now."

Joad recommends a handful of things any good emergency kit should contain, but the list isn't exhaustive.

• Warm clothing
• Blanket
• Bright-coloured vest
• Warm gloves and a hat
• Small candles and matches
• Shovel
• Flashlight
• Protein bars

Joad says people might be surprised at what the AMA sees on a regular basis.

"I have seen people leave their house wearing nothing but flip flops and light clothing and go out into cold weather like this and have vehicle problems," he said.

"They either run out of fuel, get stuck or maybe a flat tire. When the vehicle stalls they have no way of keeping heat in the vehicle. If you are not dressed and prepared for it, you are going to get cold really quick."

More info on how to build your own kit is available here.

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