Anything can interrupt your travel plans. You can run into some bad weather. Your car can break down. It is always an unpleasant experience, if it happens and you’re not prepared, it can be a lot worse. You can alleviate some of the stress and hassle by having a roadside emergency kit. Some of the things you should have packed in your kit are listed below.
Charged Cell Phone
Typically, this is something you most likely already carry on you. If not, it’s a good idea to have one packed in your emergency kit. It can help you get help quicker. You should also pack a cell phone car charger as well so that you can keep it charged.
First-Aid Kit
This should be stocked up with Band Aids, gauze pads, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes, aspirin, antiseptic ointment or cream and any other type of medication you require for your family. You wouldn’t want to be stuck without your asthma inhaler, for instance.
Fire Extinguisher
This should have a National Fire Protection Association rating of Class B or C fires or NFPA which states that Class B fires are ones involving combustible or flammable liquids like diesel fuel, gasoline, and kerosene. Class C fires are the electrical fires from equipment like panel boxes, switches and batteries.
Reflective Warning Triangles
Typically, you get a single warning triangle in a prepackaged emergency kit. However, it is suggested that you have at least three of them to place 50 feet apart to help warn approaching traffic.
Other things you should have include:
- Jumper cables
- A blanket
- A couple quarts of oil
- A gallon of antifreeze
- A flashlight
- Batteries
- A tire inflator
- Energy or Granola bars
- Bottled water
Unfortunately, you won’t find one kit for every roadside emergency. However, if you plan a little in advance and get organized, you can come up with a kit that can get you through some rough times. Once your emergency kit is assembled, you should store it in your trunk. You can also use a backpack or cardboard box as well. Just ensure it is accessible to you right away.
Prior to using your emergency kit in a situation, it’s best to get to know and understand each of its contents and how they work. You want to be sure you can use them correctly. In addition to having a packed roadside emergency kit, you also want to exercise good judgement. If you do break down in your car, pull your car over out of the flow of traffic, to the shoulder. Turn your emergency flashers on and put out your triangles. Use your cell phone to call for help and stay in your car until they get there.
One other thing that you should have in your “virtual emergency car kit” is a sound auto insurance policy.
