Don’t Breakdown Without Having This in Your Car
You may be a good driver but do you step out prepared for the unpredictable? What if severe weather drives you off the road, your car battery dies or you get a flat tire? Even if you pay for a roadside assistance service, you need to have a backup plan that allows you to act on your own instead of just waiting for help.
We’ve put together a list of items that will help you in case of an emergency. We suggest starting with a cool mind, staying calm and turning on your parking lights.
Roadside Emergency Kit
Your roadside emergency kit will include most of the items we’ll be listing below, and more. A high-end emergency kit includes a fire extinguisher, duct tape, non-perishable foods, a compass, a first aid kit and more. You can either purchase a pre-made roadside emergency kit (you may not always find one) or you can use the items we’ll be mentioning below to make your own.
Jumper Cables
If you’re on the road and your battery runs out, you still always have one more chance to restart it — given that you’ve got a set of jumper cables in the trunk. You’ll have to depend on a good samaritan’s vehicle and their help to give your car’s battery shock therapy.
Water Bottle
Just as your car needs fuel to run, our bodies run on food and water. It’s possible for your car to break down in the middle of nowhere. If that happens, you’ll need at least water to get through the hiccup. It goes without saying that you need to keep a spare water bottle in your car at all times.
Power Bank
You must have your phone alive and well so you can contact relevant authorities to come and help you. A power bank will help you be at ease and allow you to charge your phone in case you’re low on battery.
Basic Know-How of Cars
You may know how to drive but if you don’t know the basic mechanics of your car, you won’t know what hit you. The problem may be as minor as your engine heating up but if you don’t know how to read the signs in the speedometer, you’ll be clueless. You must also know how to jump-start your car, check the water in your radiator and change a flat tire.
If you’re stuck in a cold place for long, you must NEVER keep your car’s heater on — it releases carbon monoxide and if there’s a hole or leak in your exhaust, it may even prove to be fatal.
Warm Clothes
If it’s winter, you must have a jacket or something else to cover up in your car’s trunk to get you through the chills.
Emergency Flares
If you’re traveling in a remote area with no reception, you’ll have to resort to old-school ways to call for help. Your roadside emergency kit must also include a flare gun that lets you shoot up a flare in the sky to call for help.
Tool Kit
You must always keep a basic tool kit in your vehicle. Even if you’re unable to find a mechanic, there will be somebody who knows the basics and will be willing to help you.
Snacks
We suggest keeping unsalted nuts, hard candy, dried fruits and any other high-energy and non-perishable foods you enjoy eating in your car. Not only is it always fun to munch on them as you drive, but they’ll also serve as fuel for your body in times of crisis.
Flashlight
While most smartphones are equipped with a flashlight nowadays, it’s always a good idea to have a torch in your emergency kit. You’ll need it for the roadside or when you’re looking inside your car’s bonnet.