Most breakdown kits sold as a bundle include a few items you will use and several you never will. This is a practical version — the things that genuinely help when your car stops working somewhere inconvenient, and the reasons each one earns its space in the boot.
None of this replaces calling for recovery. The aim is to keep you safe, visible and comfortable while you wait, and to cover a handful of small problems you can fix yourself without needing a truck at all.
A lot of it costs very little and fits in a single small bag, so there is no real reason not to have it in the car before you need it rather than after.
Being seen: hi-vis and warning triangles
A hi-vis vest for every regular occupant of the car is one of the cheapest and most useful things you can carry, because being visible to passing traffic matters the moment you step out of the vehicle, day or night.
A warning triangle is genuinely useful on ordinary roads to warn approaching traffic of a stopped vehicle ahead, placed a reasonable distance behind the car on the same side. The important exception is motorways and fast dual carriageways, where a triangle must never be used — walking back into live traffic to place one is far more dangerous than leaving it in the boot.
- A hi-vis vest per seat, kept somewhere reachable rather than buried under luggage
- A warning triangle for use on ordinary roads and lanes only
- Never use a warning triangle on a motorway or fast dual carriageway
- On fast roads, get behind a barrier or well up the verge instead of relying on a triangle
Staying connected: phone power
A dead phone at the roadside turns a minor breakdown into a genuinely stressful one, because it is your only way to call for help, tell someone where you are, and stay updated on when a truck will arrive. A small power bank kept in the glovebox, charged occasionally, solves this for very little cost.
It is also worth keeping a basic charging cable in the car permanently rather than relying on remembering to bring one, since it is exactly the sort of thing that goes missing when you need it most.
- A charged power bank kept in the car, topped up every few months
- A spare charging cable that lives in the car and is not borrowed for other uses
- Save a recovery number in your phone before you need it, not while stranded
Water, food and comfort
A wait for recovery can run to an hour or more depending on location and traffic, and being genuinely thirsty, hungry or too cold makes an already unpleasant situation worse. A couple of bottles of water and something like cereal bars, kept in the car and replaced occasionally so they do not go stale, cost little and take up almost no space.
A blanket or warm layer matters more in Cornwall's damp winters than people expect, particularly if you are waiting outside the vehicle on a fast road rather than inside it.
- Bottled water, replaced periodically
- Long-life snacks such as cereal bars
- A blanket or spare warm layer, especially through autumn and winter
- Any regular medication a family member might need, kept topped up
Light and small fixes: torch and jump pack
A torch is useful for far more than seeing in the dark — it helps you be seen by approaching traffic, lets you check under the bonnet without straining your phone's battery, and works even if your phone is low on charge. A wind-up or battery torch that does not rely on your phone is the more reliable option.
A jump starter pack can get a car going again in minutes if the problem is simply a flat battery, and is one of the few pieces of kit that can genuinely avoid needing a recovery call at all. Learning how to use it safely before you need it, rather than reading the instructions for the first time at the roadside, is worth the ten minutes it takes.
- A torch that does not depend on your phone's battery
- A compact jump starter pack, kept charged
- Spare fuses and a basic tyre inflator kit if your car does not carry a spare wheel
- Read the jump pack instructions once at home so you are not learning them at the roadside
Kids and pets
If you regularly travel with children or pets, a breakdown changes shape completely — keeping them calm, warm and occupied matters as much as the mechanical problem itself. A few small toys or activities, spare nappies or wipes if relevant, and a lead for a dog that may need to get out and stand well away from traffic are all worth having.
For pets especially, plan where they will go if you need to leave the vehicle on a fast road — clipped on and led straight to behind a barrier, never left loose near traffic.
- A few small distractions for children on a longer wait
- Spare nappies, wipes or similar if travelling with young children
- A lead kept accessible for dogs, used the moment you need to leave the vehicle
- Water for pets, especially in summer heat
Seasonal additions for Cornwall
A few extras earn their place depending on the time of year and where in Cornwall you are driving. Through autumn and winter, an ice scraper, de-icer and a warmer blanket are worth adding, along with checking your washer fluid has a proper winter additive rather than plain water.
In summer, sun cream and extra water matter more, particularly if you are likely to be stranded roadside in direct sun on the A30 corridor during peak tourist traffic. If you regularly drive across Bodmin Moor or other exposed higher ground, treat winter extras as essential rather than optional.
- Winter: ice scraper, de-icer, extra blanket, winter-strength screen wash
- Summer: sun cream, extra water, shade if waiting outside the vehicle
- Moor and exposed-road driving: treat winter kit as essential, not optional
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Frequently asked questions
Can I use a warning triangle on the motorway if I break down?
No, never place a warning triangle on a motorway or fast dual carriageway. Get yourself and any passengers behind a barrier or well up the verge instead, and let your hazard lights do the warning.
Is a jump starter pack worth carrying?
Yes, it is one of the few items that can get you moving again without needing a recovery call at all, provided the problem is simply a flat battery and not something more serious.
What is the single most useful thing to keep in the car?
A charged phone, or the means to charge one, tends to matter most, since it is how you call for help, share your location and know when to expect the truck.
Do I need a full first aid kit in the car?
A small first aid kit is sensible to carry generally, though it is not specifically a breakdown item — the priorities for a breakdown itself are visibility, staying warm and dry, and being able to call for help.
Should my breakdown kit change in winter?
Yes, add an ice scraper, de-icer, a warmer blanket and check your screen wash has a winter-strength additive, particularly if you drive across higher ground such as Bodmin Moor.
What should I do with pets if I break down on a fast road?
Keep them on a lead and take them out on the nearside straight to behind a barrier or well up the verge, never left loose near moving traffic.
Services covered in this guide
Related guides
Motorway Breakdown Safety
The correct sequence for breaking down on the M5, A30 or A38 — getting clear of the carriageway, using the SOS phones, and what to tell the operator.
ReadWinter Driving Tips for Cornwall
Cornwall's winters are mild by UK standards but still catch drivers out — cold starts, battery failure, and the odd stretch of ice or snow on higher ground.
ReadWhat Happens When You Call
The full call-out sequence from first ring to drop-off, including exactly what to do while you wait at the roadside.
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