25 Essential Items Every Car Should Have
Emergencies happen and you never know when you’ll be caught in your car unprepared. You could be caught in your car during a severe storm, major earthquake, hurricane, flood, avalanche, mudslide or tornado. If there was a major event and the roads were closed due to extensive damage you want to be able to survive with minimal inconvenience. These items also come in handy if you should arrive on the scene of an accident where you may be able to help others.
Grab a nylon backpack or duffel bag and put all of these items in it and put in the trunk or back seat of your car. It’s best to store inside with you so you can access it easily but it’s not always practical so your next best choice is the trunk.
1. Medication - if you have medication that you must take daily put at least 3 days worth in your car. This is especially true for people with asthma, diabetes, severe allergies and any other conditions that can be potentially life threatening. Check the dates on the medication often and don’t let them expire.
2. Water - always keep a few bottles of water with you so if you are stuck somewhere for an extended time you have something to drink. If you live where it gets down to freezing, only fill the bottles 3/4 of the way to allow room for the ice to expand.
3. First Aid Kit - you need to have the basics like latex gloves, bandaids, tape, small scissors, disposable face mask, gauze and a ace bandage.
4. Fire Extinguisher - get one designed specifically for automobiles. They need to be checked every year to make sure they are still effective.
5. Gloves - have wool gloves, a pair of work gloves and a few pairs of disposable rubber gloves in case you have to get out and put snow chains on, change a flat tire or assist someone who is injured.
6. Non-perishable Food - granola, protein bars, peanuts, jerky or other foods that won’t go bad.
7. Trash Bags - these are versatile in that you can use them to store wet items, put a dirty tire in, put over your clothes to protect you from the weather, cover an injured person on the road or use on the ground to stay clean while repairing your car.
8. Transistor Radio - get one that you wind up so you never have to worry about having dead batteries. You’ll want to be able to find out what is going on instead of running the car and wasting gas if you are stuck somewhere.
9. Flashlight - get one that you wind up so you won’t need batteries.
10. Waterproof matches or a lighter plus an empty can to melt snow if you need water.
11. Jacket and a hat
12. Blanket or space blanket
13. Umbrella - this is useful in the rain and in the heat to keep the sun off you.
14. Jumper Cables - or a contained unit that you can use to jump start your car yourself.
15. Small Tool Kit - you can pick this up at most big box stores or make your own. Get one with both types of screwdrivers, a wrench, pliers, knife and wire cutters. It also doesn’t hurt to have some wire ties just in case a hose comes off and you need a temporary repair.
16. Walking shoes and socks - especially important for the ladies who may be wearing heels. If you travel during the winter it is a good idea to keep snow boots in the car.
17. Mini Fan - if you travel in an area where it is very hot you will need a personal fan to keep you cool. They make ones with an attached water bottle so you can spritz yourself or your kids while you are cooling down.
18. Cash - make sure you have small denominations of cash in case you have to purchase anything like gas or food or pay to have snow chains installed. If you are in an area experiencing power outages your Debit, Credit or ATM card will do you no good. Keep extra change around if you are in an area where you may have to pay tolls.
19. If you have room your should carry a new, empty one gallon gas can just in case you run out of gas. Don’t carry full gas cans in your trunk as they are very flammable.
20. A resealable container of kitty litter or sand. This is useful for soaking up oil spills and for putting on the snow or ice for added traction.
21. Duct tape - this stuff is amazing and you should always have at least a partial roll with you. You can use it to temporarily repair a broken radiator hose or hold a car part on if you are in an accident but your car is still drivable.
22. Road flares - you can get the traditional type or the newer ones that have LEDs in them and are reusable like a flashlight. These are important in case you break down in a dark area or on a curve in the road.
23. Towels, rags or paper towels - you need something you can wipe your hands on after changing a flat or working on the engine.
24. Collapsible Shovel - if you travel in the winter or on mountain roads you want to be able to dig your tires out if you are stuck.
25. Toilet paper - you never know when you have to go and it comes in handy at service stations that don’t have any in the restrooms.
This list seems long but if your not prepared an emergency will seem much worse than if you take some simple precautions ahead of time. Are there any items that we missed on the list? Let us know in the comments.
Excellent article. This is a very comprehensive list. The only thing I would add is some type of “wet wipes” for cleaning your hands so you can save your water for drinking.
Thanks for stopping by. You are right - wet wipes are an excellent addition to your car kit!