Emergencies on the road happen when you least expect it. Whether it’s running out of gas, a popped tire, or your engine stopped working, it’s always important to be prepared.
Here are some things that are very important to keep in your vehicle at all times.
Tire Jack, Spare Tire and Lug wrench
First of all, before you start putting these in your car, you’ll need to learn how to change a tire. These items must be grouped together.
According to autosimple.com,
“Nothing is quite so frustrating as finding out that your spare tire has a flat or you forgot your jack in the garage. So, make sure you have a jack, inflated spare tire, and lug wrench in the car. If you have two of these items and not the third, it’s all useless. These three things go together so make sure you have them all.”
Jumper Cables
A dead battery is one of the worst ways to start your day. An easy way to fix that is by jumping your car by using jumper cables. These cables are relatively inexpensive and cost around $20 at most retail stores or online.
“A dead battery tends to always be a surprise and super inconvenient, but if you’ve taken the time to purchase jumper cables and practice with jumpstarting a battery, your car, and most importantly your day, won’t be dead for long,” said the admin of autosimple.com.
Tire Pressure Gauge
This is a good gadget to always have in your car. No one can just look at a tire and know how much air that tire has lost or needs to be added.
“Even if a specific tire doesn’t look especially low, routine checks of all four tires are always encouraged. Ensuring that your tire pressure is on point will improve handling, prolong the lifespan of your tires, and increase your vehicle’s fuel economy,” said the admin of autosimple.com.
You can buy one of these at your local Auto Zone or O’Reilly’s, you can also get the tool on Amazon for $5, more or less. It’s a super helpful, inexpensive safety tool that every car owner should stash in the glove box.
WD-40
How many times have you struggled to loosen a nut or bolt on your car?
“Whether you are switching your license plate out, loosening lug nuts, or silencing a creaky door, WD-40 is a great item to always have in the car,” said autosimple.com.
First Aid Kit
Obviously, you never know when you’ll need a first aid kit. Life has a way of springing unexpected scrapes on you, especially if you have other people riding in your car
“You may need to clean up a cut or bandage a blister. If you spend a lot of time in your vehicle, it’s much more convenient to have a small supply of medical essentials on hand,” Autosimple.com said.
Tactical Flashlight
“Some flashlights even come with strobe light settings. This can come in handy when you are trying to alert traffic after an accident on the road or in case of emergency situations. This lighting setting is also great for self-defense as it will blind the attacker, thus giving you a chance to escape.”
Good luck trying to change a tire at night without one of these.
“Keep a strong tactical flashlight in your car for the darkest maintenance moments that hit even the best of us at some time or another,” autosimple.com said.
If your flashlight requires batteries, keep some extra of those in the glove box as well.
Multi Tool
“Emergency Situations: A multi-tool can prove vital in emergency situations. Whether it’s a tyre puncture, a loose or broken part, or a minor malfunction, having a versatile tool can help you address the issue quickly.” (Photo by Sarge Knives)
Just in case you need scissors, a screwdriver, or a sharp edge, a good multi-tool will give you peace of mind knowing you have all that and much more.
Car Hammer
This little tool can save your life!
“While you may be able to use your tactical flashlight to break a car window in the event of an emergency, many people complain about this feature not working,” autosimple.com said.
An extra change of clothes/blankets stuff
Winter weather is unpredictable, just like any other weather.
“You might leave the house with only a jacket, but find when you’re leaving work that you need gloves, a beanie, and a scarf in order to get home comfortably. Keep a reusable tote in the back of your car with these winter essentials. Leather driving gloves should be in there too. They’re both practical and stylish,” autosimple.com said.
And lastly, A friendly skeleton that can go with you everywhere
Even though keeping a skeleton in your car has nothing to do with keeping you safe in case of an emergency, they are great companions! Need a music listening buddy? You have a skeleton sitting in your backseat ready to jam out with. Had a bad shift at work? You have a skeleton with a listening ear to comfort you. People will also ask questions and give you strange looks when you go through the drive-thru.
No matter what life throws at you and your car, it’s always good to have these items come along with you, wherever you’re going.
