When out on the road, you never know what kind of situation you could be caught in. Whether you’re stuck in the hills on a road trip or trapped on the side of the road thanks to a flat tire, many of these stressful situations can be made easier with a little preparation. If you always keep these five things in your trunk, you shouldn’t ever be stuck in a situation without a solution.
Out of all the things you should keep in your car, a first aid kit may be the most crucial. If you get in an accident, are trapped because of a natural accident, or even if someone is hurt outside of the vehicle, a first aid kit can help you keep a handle on most things until paramedics arrive.
Here are some things you should always have in your first aid kit: burn ointment, antibacterial ointment, bandages (both band-aids and gauze), cleansing alcohol (either in a bottle or in patch form), basic non-prescription medicine, and a thermometer. When building your first aid kit, take into account any special health issues that could befall you or your passengers.
Everyone knows that pit in their stomach that forms when they turn the key and all they hear in response is a series of painful clicks. Keep yourself from being stranded for too long by stashing a pair of jumper cables in your trunk. If you’ve had the same set of cables for decades, make sure they’re not damaged or too rusted.
A flat tire kit refers to anything you may need when your tire blows while you’re rolling down the freeway. Always keep a spare in the back of your car and remember to check every so often to make sure that it’s properly inflated. Having a spare won’t do you much good without something to jack up the car and something to take off the lug nuts, so remember to pack some form of jack as well as a lug wrench. It’s not a bad idea to also have a tire pressure gauge handy.
With cold weather speeding towards Virginia, we all need to be prepared for the eventuality that we may end up marooned in the cold. Keep enough emergency blankets in your trunk for every passenger in your vehicle. In addition, consider also storing a few extra jackets or sweaters to ensure that you and your passengers can stay warm until help arrives.
Hopefully, you’ll never need to use one, but it’s absolutely vital to have in your car because when that rare moment comes, you’ll be grateful you had a fire extinguisher. In the event of an accident and an ensuing fire, you can get some amount of control over the situation before it becomes an utter disaster. Plus, if you’re ever out camping and the fire somehow gets out of control, having a fire extinguisher in your car will come in handy.
Keeping your car prepped and ready for any situation will give you a sense of comfort and security. In some situations, such preparation can even prevent serious injury.
