No matter how careful we are, there still remains the possibility of unexpected road hazards, breakdowns and other emergency situations. Hence, since it’s better to be safe than sorry, here are suggestions for an emergency car kit, tone you can keep in your vehicle at all times.
Flashlights – with spare batteries just to be sure: The flashlight should be waterproof, with a rubberized grip so that you can hang onto it no matter how nasty the weather. It should also have a fairly strong beam; just in case you need to lay it on the ground in order to see the flat tyre you’re changing at three in the morning.
Complete tire change kit: This includes a lug wrench (be sure that it fits your car’s lugs before you take it out onto the road – is it metric or standard?), a jack, some kind of spray lubricant to loosen tough lugs and chocks to hold your car in place when you must lift in order to change the flat tyre. Also, please note that when putting air in your tyres (such as at service stations) it’s never a bad idea to check the air level in your spare tyre.
Jumper cables: You never know when your battery will decide to roll over and die on you. In fact, there are even self-contained jump units available so that you don’t even have to find some kind stranger to give you batter a boost off theirs.
Empty gas can: We recommend purchasing a brand-new one and storing it in your car for emergency fill-ups. About five litres worth of gas should be more than enough to get you to the nearest gas station.
Basic tool set: This includes wrenches, screwdrivers, electrical tape, pliers and other basic items that could come in handy should you need to ‘rig’ your car in order to get it to the nearest mechanic.
There are plenty of inexpensive (if not absolutely free) publications regarding your vehicle. This includes troubleshooting explanations, decent photographs, and wiring diagram, so that you can figure out what’s happening in order to rig it until you can get your car to a professional.
Some miscellaneous items to include would be emergency road flares, a fire extinguisher rated for all types of fires – and a cellular phone for emergency communications.
We also recommend preparing for other emergencies – change for a payphone, a pair of comfortable shoes in case you have to walk somewhere, a bottle of water in case your car overheats, and perhaps proper clothing for the weather changes. You can also store all of these items in your trunk, the floorboard of your back seat, or even in a box on the back seat to be moved around should passengers have to ride back there. The idea is to keep it handy.
Do not remove your kit for any reason at all, and keep it updated. Add the items as soon as possible. You can’t prevent every emergency, but you can be prepared for even the worst of situations! Good luck on the road, and don’t forget that preparation is the safest route to travel.