What to keep in a car first aid kit
Not legally required in the UK, and worth having anyway. Heat is the enemy of car-stored stock.
There is no legal requirement to carry a first aid kit in a private car in the UK, though several European countries do require one. It is sensible regardless.
Sensible contents
- Assorted adhesive dressings.
- Two or more large sterile dressings for significant bleeding.
- Gauze swabs and a conforming bandage.
- Disposable gloves.
- A foil blanket.
- Shears that will cut a seatbelt.
- A torch.
- A high-visibility vest — being seen is first aid on a roadside.
Heat is the problem
A car interior in summer regularly exceeds the storage range for adhesive products. Dressings stored in a car degrade faster than the printed date suggests. Check the kit twice a year and replace on condition rather than date alone.
Where to keep it
Somewhere reachable without opening the boot — a door pocket or under a seat. A kit in the boot of a car you cannot get to is no kit at all.
See a pharmacist, GP or urgent care if a wound will not stop bleeding after ten minutes of firm pressure, is deep or gaping, was caused by something dirty or rusty, contains anything you cannot flush out, or shows spreading redness, heat, swelling, pus or a fever. Get help urgently for animal or human bites, wounds over a joint, and any wound in someone with diabetes or poor circulation.
Shop the range
FitMedix products are CE-marked medical devices intended for the care of minor wounds. This site does not provide medical advice — seek professional help for deep, dirty or non-healing wounds, or if signs of infection appear. Always read the instructions on the pack.