Although modern cars are safer and more reliable than ever, there are still a million things that could go wrong while driving, especially on long-distance trips. From a simple flat tire to being stranded in a snowstorm, you need to be prepared for anything that nature or fate throws at you and the best way to do that is by putting together a roadside emergency kit.
Emergency Items For Your Car
Image via Unsplash by jumpstartexpert
The most likely issues that can occur during a road trip are typically related to your car not functioning the way it should. Although the side of the road is no place for complicated repair jobs and road assistance services are usually just a phone call away, you need to be prepared for situations when you can’t call for help and have to make it on your own. Also, you need to remember that any roadside intervention should be well-signaled with the help of triangle reflectors or flares, which should never be missing from your car, along with a fire extinguisher.
The first items on the emergency car repair list should be a well-inflated spare tire, a tripod jack, and a wheel wrench. Although just like the triangle reflectors or flares, most car manufacturers provide you with them when you buy the car, you should still make sure that you know exactly where they are and how to use them. To save space, some carmakers choose to replace the classic spare tire with a tire patch kit or a narrower emergency substitute often referred to as a “donut,” so make sure you know which one you have.
Next on your list should be a pair of jumper cables. A car needs its battery to start the engine and even a small fault in the electrical system can leave you with no power. Luckily, you can borrow some from another car’s battery by connecting your positive and negative connectors to their correspondents on the other vehicle and keeping them connected while you start yours. Although you should take your car to the shop and identify the issue with your car’s electrical system, jump-starting it is a quick and easy way to safely continue your journey.
Other items that you may need to quickly fix your car in case of a minor issue are a toolkit containing differently sized screwdrivers and wrenches, some extra gas in case you run out and there’s no station nearby, and a gallon of engine coolant in case you suddenly have a leak in the cooling system. If you drive around in areas with cold weather you also additional items like a shovel, snow brush, and some sand that you can put under your wheels to get some traction in case you get stuck.
Emergency Items For Driver And Passengers
Although most roadside emergencies involve various issues with your vehicle, a well-built roadside emergency kit also contains plenty of items that can help the people affected by the problem. It’s very important to know that the first thing you should do in any roadside emergency involving injured people is to call 911 and ask for help. However, to do so you need a working phone, so it’s essential that you never go on a long trip without a cellphone car charger or a portable charger.
Once you’re sure you can call for help, you need to be able to offer first aid to anyone who needs it. A first aid kit usually contains essential items like band-aids, disinfectants, gauze, and other similar items that can help fix minor first-aid issues or mitigate major ones until help arrives. You should also have plenty of clean water with you to keep everyone hydrated, as well as compact and energy-rich food, like energy bars or granola. You may be stuck in the middle of nowhere for several hours so you and your passengers need to be prepared.
Other items that may be useful are a fully charged flashlight, in case you need to repair something or offer first aid at nighttime, some blankets in case you need to wait for help in cold weather, and rain gear for situations where you need to change a flat tire in rainy weather. Other items, that are less essential but may come in handy if you need to entertain your kids while waiting for roadside help, are books, magazines, a deck of cards, board games, and other items that you and your passengers can use to entertain yourselves.
Storing And Using Your Roadside Emergency Kit
Once you’ve gathered all the items you need for your roadside emergency kit, you need to find a way of permanently storing them in your car without them taking too much space. The best way of doing so is by placing them all in a cardboard box or backpack and then putting it in a corner of your trunk. There are also special bags especially designed for this purpose and even ready-made emergency roadside kits that you can buy from auto shops or online.
However, whichever way you choose to assemble and store your roadside emergency kit, it is crucial that you familiarize yourself with every item in there and learn how to use it. Simply having an emergency kit is a good safety measure, but when an emergency does occur you’ll likely not have the time and mental clarity to learn how everything works. Change a tire just to get the hang of it, check to see exactly what your first aid kit contains, and generally know exactly what’s in your kit and how they work.
Emergencies are usually the kind of things that you like to think will never happen to you, until one day they do. While emergency preparation is crucial if you want a safe and reliable car that you can count on in case of an emergency make sure you visit Panama City Toyota and choose from our long list of new and pre-owned vehicles.
