|
|
Emergency car kit for those unexpected breakdowns. Includes supplies and items
of convenience.
No matter how careful we are, there still remains the possibility of unexpected
road hazards, breakdowns, and other non-typical emergency situations. It's
better to be safe than sorry, so here are my suggestions for an emergency car
kit, to be kept in your vehicle at all times.
FLASHLIGHT - 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 tire you're changing at
three in the morning.
COMPLETE TIRE CHANGE KIT - this includes a lugwrench (be sure that it fits your
car's lugs before you take it out onto the road - is it a metric or a
standard?), a jack, some kind of spray lubricant to loosen tough lugs, and
chocks to hold your car in place when you must lift it in order to change the
flat tire. Also, please note that when putting air in your tires (such as at
service stations) it's never a bad idea to check the air level in your spare
tire.
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 your batter a boost off
theirs.
EMPTY GAS CAN - I recommend purchasing a brand-new one and storing it in your
car for emergency fill-ups. One, perhaps two gallons 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 also plenty of inexpensive
(if not absolutely free) publications regarding your vehicle - for example, a
Haynes auto repair manual costs about fifteen dollars and covers many basics.
This includes troubleshooting, explanations, decent photographs, and wiring
diagrams 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.
I 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.
(This would include an emergency rain poncho, a warm and comfortable jacket, or
perhaps even a thick blanket.) You can 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.
You'll think of more things to add to your own personal emergency car kit as you
make it - I suggest that you add them as soon as possible so that you don't
forget.
Remember, 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.