People spend a lot of time in their cars, and yet many people aren’t prepared for an emergency situation that could arise on the road. By putting together a simple emergency car kit, you can be confident that you’ll be ready to handle whatever the open road throws at you.
Blanket
Staying warm is a priority in any survival situation. You might not be out in the elements when you are inside your car, but that doesn’t mean your body temperature won’t drop. Even in the hottest locations, temperatures can drop drastically at night. If you’re stranded because you’ve run out of gas – or are trying to conserve gas – then keeping your vehicle running to stay warm isn’t an option. And in some weather conditions – heavy snow, for example – keeping your vehicle running can have life threatening consequences if you’re not careful of snow buildup around your tail pipe. In situations like these you’ve got to rely on the good old blanket to keep yourself warm. Blankets are good to keep in your car in general – you never know when you might need to spread one out on the ground for some impromptu nature time.
Flashlight
A flashlight is one of the most important pieces of emergency equipment in your car kit. It can be used to illuminate a car after a late night accident or to inspect an engine in the dark. It can be used to flash down passing traffic and to signal emergency personnel. A flashlight with several different strobe settings is best, as these flashlights allow you to find the most appropriate lighting level for the situation and conserve battery power by using less energy. A rechargeable flashlight, when paired with a solar powered battery charger, is a powerful tool to have in your emergency car kit.
Solar Powered Battery Charger
With cell phones being the standard mode of communication, most people have some adapter for charging their phones in their vehicles. But in an emergency situation, you can’t rely on having a functional car to keep yourself connected to emergency services. A solar powered battery charger is small, easy to store, and best of all: reliable.
Jumper Cables
Sometimes it’s not a big incident on the road that puts your vehicle out of commission. Sometimes it’s as simple as leaving the lights on to drain your battery while you’re running errands. You might be stranded in a crowded parking lot, but there’s no guarantee anyone will have jumper cables to give you the jump you need to get home. Having a pair of jumper cables stored under the back seat guarantees you’ll be able to get yourself home. Familiarize yourself with how to connect the cables to a battery — even if you never need them to jump your own vehicle, you might get to be a hero for another stranded traveler!
First Aid Kit
This might be the one piece of your emergency car kit that sees the most use, and odds are it won’t be for an emergency! First Aid Kits come with a wide range of medical supplies, from bandages and disinfectants to over the counter antihistamines and pain reducers. Having a first aid kit readily available in your car means you’re prepared for many medical issues that might arise no matter where you are. And it’s never a bad thing to have some aspirin on hand.
No one likes to imagine the worst case scenario but it’s smart to be prepared for it. Being ready for an emergency with a well-equipped kit will help make a worst-case scenario much more manageable.
