Key takeaway
Keep your insurance and registration current in the glovebox, add a pen and a paper card of emergency contacts, a phone charger, a small first-aid kit, and a flashlight. Print the checklist and put it in there too.
Why paper still earns its space
Phones die. Phones also get left in the car that just got towed. Almost everything in this kit is here because it works when the technology doesn't.
The kit
- Insurance card and registration. Current ones. It's worth checking the date right now, because expired cards in the glovebox are extremely common.
- A pen that works, and a small notepad. For the details you'll want to write down while they're fresh.
- A paper card with emergency contacts. Names and numbers, written down. If your phone is dead or gone, this is how anyone reaches your people.
- A phone charger or a small battery pack. Your phone is your camera, your map, and your lifeline. A dead one at the scene is a genuinely bad moment.
- A small first-aid kit. Nothing elaborate. Bandages, gauze, gloves, antiseptic.
- A flashlight. Plenty of crashes happen in the dark, and your phone light drains the battery you need.
- A printed checklist. So you don't have to remember any of this under stress. Ours is free to print.
Two more worth considering
- A reflective triangle or vest, if you drive at night or on highways
- A bottle of water
Do it in the driveway this week
The whole point of this list is that it takes five minutes on a day when nothing is wrong. Nobody assembles a glovebox kit at the side of the road.
General information, not legal advice. Every situation is different — consult a licensed attorney about your specific circumstances.
If you’d like a free consultation with an independent participating law firm, just reach out.
Sources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (nhtsa.gov)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Transportation Safety (cdc.gov)
- USA.gov — Motor vehicle services and accident basics (usa.gov)
