Below are 10 essential things to keep in the car that you should always have!
There is a saying that could summarize everything about life: “Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.”
This applies to all areas of our lives, including our cars. Imagine you are looking forward to a pleasant trip in your beautiful car. You’ve been planning this trip for months! On the big day, you pack what you will “need” for the trip and set off.
About 60 kilometers from the city, you realize the car is overheating; you forgot to check the water level. As a result, you spend two or three hours on the side of the road, desperately waiting for help.
Your trip is ruined. This is just one example of the many things that can go wrong on the road. Therefore, it is always important to be prepared.
10 essential things to keep in the car
The 10 things to have in your car listed below can help you save time, reduce discomfort, or even save your life when an emergency occurs.
1. First aid kit
The first item to have in the car is a first aid kit. As you know, the most important thing is your life, your health, and your well-being.
Therefore, it is very important that you have a first aid kit, in case you or someone else is involved in an accident on the road.
A basic first aid kit can contain: bandages of different sizes and shapes (small, medium, and large), sterile dressings. It should also contain a pair of scissors (or razor blades) and a good amount of cotton.
2. Repair kit
When talking about the essential items to keep in a car, we must take a look at a repair kit. A repair kit or a maintenance kit is a set of items used to repair a device, typically including both tools and spare parts.
It includes different sizes of wrenches, adhesive tape, screwdrivers, etc. This will be useful when you need to perform simple repair work on your car.
3. Jumper cables
Next, jumper cables are items you should always have in your car. They are used to “jump-start” an engine when the battery is dead.
You connect them from your battery to the battery terminals (of a working one) of another car. This allows you to start your engine. This applies to gasoline engines.
4. Car manual
You should keep the car manual in the dashboard. It contains diagrams (pictures and illustrations) of everything in the car.
This can be useful if you want to repair something, for example, a flat tire. It tells you the bolt sizes and the internal layout of the systems.
5. Spare tire
It is very common for a driver to face a flat tire on the road. Almost every driver has experienced this situation.
That’s why it’s important to always have a spare tire. There is always a designated space to store a spare tire. It is usually located in the trunk or under the vehicle. In SUVs, it is always at the rear.
6. Fire extinguisher
I know what you’re thinking, in your entire driving life, you have never faced a fire. But who knows? It could happen today, tomorrow, or next week.
You can have a small fire extinguisher to put out localized fires that would otherwise spread and cause more damage.
7. Clean towels
Another essential item to keep in your car is clean towels. Keeping a few clean towels in the car will ensure that the interior is always clean.
You can also use them for repairs, cleaning surfaces and dirt. You should have at least three in your car at all times. Clean cloths are an alternative to clean towels. They can serve the same purpose.
8. Bottled water
Yes, water! They say water is life. Water can be used for a great number of things. Of course, you can use it to quench your thirst. God knows that spending a lot of time inside a car cabin can be dehydrating.
Furthermore, you can use it to clean surfaces. For example, you can top up the water if the engine overheats.
In conclusion, you should always keep about 5 liters of bottled water in your car.
9. USB phone charger
It is impossible to predict the possibility of your phone losing its charge. You might forget that an app is open and your battery will be dead after an hour or two.
Therefore, you must always have a USB phone charger in your car. If you are stranded, you will be able to call for help.
10. ID card
Last but not least, to have in the car: your ID card. It tells people who you are, what you do, and where you come from.
You should always have one on you, in case you are involved in an accident and the paramedics want to contact your family.
There you have it. Keep the items above in your car at all times, and you will be able to handle any type of challenge on the road.
They may not completely solve the problem, but they will keep you on the road until you find a repair shop.