You have to be prepared for the unexpected when you’re behind the wheel. As well as keeping an eye out for what other road users are doing, it’s also worth being prepared for something going wrong with your own car.
From breakdowns in the dark to injuries that need treating, it’s better to be safe than sorry. With that in mind, we’ve come up with the following list of critical items you should always keep in your car. With these at your fingertips, you’ll be prepared for pretty much anything!
Siphon Pipe
No matter how many times you double check your gas levels, there’s always a chance that you could end up stuck by the side of a road with an empty tank of gas. You might be close enough to a fuel station to fill up a cannister and bring it back, but other times, there’ll be no such respite. You might think that in these cases, your only option is to call a towing company to get back to the nearest town, but that can be expensive.
Instead, if you’ve got a siphon pipe on hand and a friendly passerby stops to help out, you can easily take a little gas out of their tank (with their permission) to get your car back to civilization. What’s even better, you can easily pick up a decent siphon pipe for just $10.
Duct Tape
Is there anything duct tape can’t do? This incredibly versatile tool has been the product of choice for everyone, from DIY fanatics to astronauts, because it’s an effective quick fix for so many issues. If you need to reattach something that has fallen off your car, slap some duct tape on and the tape should do the job just fine.
One thing to note is that some cheaper brands of duct tape aren’t as reliable, so it’s better to fork out a little more money for some duct tape that will actually help you out in a pinch.
Water Bottles
Anyone trapped out in the wilderness won’t last long without some water on hand. In fact, there have been several cases of people who accidentally drove their car off of a cliff or got lost in the desert and managed to survive for days on just bottled water while waiting for help.
While you probably won’t find yourself in a similar situation, water can still be a big help if you suffer a car breakdown, especially in hot weather. The minutes go by so much longer when you’re thirsty. If you have to carry out any repairs on your car, having a drink on hand will make things easier. Remember to fill up a few bottles and keep them somewhere easily accessible.
Every driver knows that unexpected situations can and do happen on the road. You need to be prepared. Make sure that you pack these useful items before you undertake any long car journeys. They might be a lifesaver!
Image “Road” by exxonwaldez, used under CC BY-ND 2.0
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