With winter weather already upon us, fleet drivers should take a page from the Boy Scout Handbook and be prepared for winter weather by making sure their trucks' emergency kits are up-to-date.  

According to an online survey conducted for CarMax, only 24 percent of those surveyed said that they have a winter emergency kit in their car. Residents of the Northeast, who often experience the worst winter weather, are surprisingly unprepared, with only 35 percent reporting that they drive with a winter emergency kit.

CarMax, Inc. recommended the following items should be included in a vehicle’s winter emergency kit:

1. Flashlight.

2. Jumper cables.

3. First-aid kit.

4. Flares or hazard triangles.

5. Warm clothes, gloves and a blanket.

6. Ice scraper.

7. Snow shovel.

8. Cat litter — for traction on slick roadways.

9. Extra winshield washer fluid.

10. Food and bottled water.

11. Cell phone car charger.

More than half of those surveyed reported having jumper cables, a flashlight, or an ice scraper in their vehicle and 40 percent indicated having a first aid kit, according to CarMax. One in 10 respondents stated they have none of the essential supplies for a winter emergency kit.