Some of us rarely keep anything in our trunks until we learn a lesson first hand. It is better to be prepared before leaving the driveway than to regret not taking along useful supplies. Here are some of the must-haves to always keep in your trunk in case of emergency. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Basic Car Trouble:
First off always have water and a gas can, in case you forgot to get gas and have to walk to the nearest gas station on a hot summer day. You should always keep a spare tire along with a jack and tire iron, but also know how to change it as well (this goes to men and women). You also need to know if your car comes with a spare and the hardware – Some of the newer cars these days don’t! Always keep jumper cables, your cars’ manual to reference, a tire pressure gauge to check the air pressure, and jumper cables for those basic fixes. It’s also a good idea to keep the business cards of your insurance agent, a AAA card not only on your phone, but written on paper as well (incase your phone dies). As odd as it sounds, kitty litter is a great thing to have incase you’re stuck and need some traction.
Used to bust out windows and cut seat belts in case of an emergency
In Case of an Accident:
If you’re in an accident with another person you’ll need paper and a camera handy. This is easily done with a phone, but what if your phone is dead? A notebook and a disposable camera will come in handy when gathering evidence after an accident.
During a severe accident there are a few tools that are life savers: A car window breaker/seatbelt cutters should be within arms reach incase of a water submission. We have this tool pictured to the right – they can be found online and locally and we recommend that everyone have one! In case you have an accident and stranded, you should always have extra water, food, and blanket/jacket on hand. If you’re injured and unable to find help, your prime objective will be to coherent while waiting for someone to find you.
Handy Extras:
We live in a digital age and rely heavily on our phones – keep a car charger as well as a battery phone charger handy.You always want to keep the basics in your car such as matches, a flashlight, a map, you never know when they could be handy. If you have children, you know that cuts, bumps and bruises are an everyday occurance… It’s always a good idea to have a first aid kit around. Water, snacks and a blanket come in handy during an accident, but also for everyday use. Paper towels and toilet paper for those messes and emergencies… Need we say more?
Don’t ever have the mindset that nothing will ever happen to you while driving, things happen everyday to the unexpected and we just want you to be in the mindset of preparing before it actually happens. Here is just a main list of survival items that you want to have in case of an emergency. Know what to do if you’re in an accident – Call Tad Morlan!
- Spare tire with tire jack and tire iron.
- Tire inflater and sealer
- Jumper Cables
- Your car’s manual
- Tire pressure gauge
- Duct tape
- Car repair information- Business card for your auto repair shop, AAA, or your insurance provider.
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Matches
- Protein Bars/ nutritious snacks
- Water bottles
- Weather radio
- Maps
- Ice scraper
- Blanket/ spare coat
- USB mobile device charger
- Toilet paper/ Paper towels
- Multi-tool kit
- Gas can
- Traction mats, sand or kitty litter
- Jumper cables
- Car window breaker
- Notebook and Pen
- Disposable Camera
