Quick Summary
A record 45 million Americans are hitting the road this Memorial Day weekend. Last year, AAA fielded 350,000 emergency roadside calls over the same three days — and the families who came out of it smiling all had one thing in common.
Table of Contents
- Why Is Memorial Day Called the Start of "The 100 Deadliest Days"?
- What's the Road Trip Mistake Most Families Make?
- What Should You Keep in Your Car for Any Road Trip?
- When Should You Put a Car Kit Together?
Why Is Memorial Day Called the Start of "The 100 Deadliest Days"?
Did you know AAA responded to over 350,000 emergency roadside calls last Memorial Day weekend alone?
That's right, 350,000 families pulled over on the shoulder of the interstate, sitting in their cars, waiting on a tow.
Some for a quick battery jump, others for hours in the heat with a flat tire and no spare… A few in much worse situations than that.
And this Memorial Day weekend is shaping up to be even bigger.
AAA is projecting a record-breaking 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the holiday – the highest number ever recorded. That's a lot of cars on the road, a lot of trunks loaded with vacation gear, and a lot of families assuming the drive itself will take care of itself.
The American Automobile Association calls the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day “The 100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers.
It’s an unassuming time period, when fatal crashes spike, and an average of eight people are killed on the road every day.
So before you load up the car this weekend, let's talk about the one thing most families forget – and how to handle it in 15 minutes flat.
What's the Road Trip Mistake Most Families Make?
Most families pack for the destination.
They think about beach chairs, sunscreen, swimsuits, the cooler full of snacks for the kids… all the stuff they'll need when they arrive.
What they don't pack for is the in-between — the part of the trip that happens on the actual road. The hours between leaving the driveway and pulling into the hotel parking lot.
That's the blind spot.
And it's not because anyone's careless. It's because we're wired to think of our cars as a kind of magic bubble…
Climate-controlled, reliable, full of snacks for the drive. We assume the car will just… work. And almost always, it does.
Until one summer afternoon when the battery decides it's done, or traffic comes to a dead stop on a stretch of interstate, or a tire blows on a back road with no cell signal.
The smartest families don't only pack for the destination. They also pack for the in-between.
What Should You Keep in Your Car for Any Road Trip?
There are four categories you need to cover:
Water that handles temperature swings
Regular bottled water can crack or leak in a 140°F trunk, and freeze and burst in winter. Emergency Water Pouches are sealed, sterilized, and built to handle exactly this. A small case lives easily in any car, year-round.
Food that doesn't quit
Granola bars melt. Chips go stale. Ready Hour Ration Bars are calorie-dense, won't deteriorate in heat or cold, and have a shelf life of up to 5 years. Toss a couple in the glovebox and forget about them.
Light and power
A dead cell phone is the most common reason a roadside situation gets stressful instead of inconvenient. The Ready Hour 9-in-1 Solar Flashlight recharges via solar or USB and includes a 2,000 mAh power bank for your phone – plus a seat-belt cutter and glass breaker just in case. A USB Emergency Lantern doubles as cabin lighting and a backup charger for longer waits.
Warmth and basic first aid
A compact emergency sleeping bag weighs almost nothing and lives in the trunk for months without notice — useful for a cold-weather breakdown, a summer night stuck on the highway, or anything in between.
Plus, the MyMedic First Aid Kit covers everything from a kid's scraped knee at a rest stop to a real bandage situation.
Nothing extreme. Just the things that every family should carry in their cars when they’re going on a road trip.
When Should You Put a Car Kit Together?
This weekend. Before the holiday rush.
Fifteen minutes, one plastic tote, one trip to the trunk. After that, the kit lives in your car all year. You don't think about it again until you're glad you have it — or you forget you have it entirely, which is also fine.
If you'd rather skip the assembly altogether, our Essential Car Survival Kit bundles the essentials in one ready-to-go pack — water, food, light, first aid, and warmth, all in a compact tote that drops right into your trunk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need a car kit if I have AAA?
AAA is excellent for the vehicle problem. A car kit is for the you problem — the hours you might wait between the breakdown and the tow truck. Both work better together than either alone.
How much water should I keep in my car for a road trip?
A good rule of thumb is one liter per person, per day of travel, plus extra. Sealed emergency water pouches are best for cars because they handle temperature swings far better than standard bottled water.
