You never know when it will happen to you. Dead batteries, flat tires and other problems can happen to anyone at any time. As they say, the best defense is a good offense so let’s get prepared with some essential emergency gear so you are ready for whatever happens. The sales staff at Central Avenue in Yonkers, NY, a Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram dealer, suggested to us a list of 6 items you should consider keeping in your car.
- Jumper Cables – Everyone should have a pair of jumper cables in their car. All it takes is for an internal light to be accidently left on and your battery could go dead on you. Even if it isn’t your car, having a set of jumper cables might really help out another motorist, in addition. If you are buying a set, avoid the cheap ones (under $10), they don’t work very well. Expect to pay $20-$30 for a good set that will pass a lot of amps when you are jumping the batteries.
- Flashlight –Murphy’s law: you know that the next time your car breaks down it will be at night. The solution is to get a good quality flashlight. The cheap $1-$2 lights at the Dollar Store aren’t “mission ready” for this sort of thing. Invest in a $20-$30 LED flashlight and some fresh alkaline spare car battery.
- Hand Tools – Every car should have a basic set of tools in it. The best thing to do is purchase a kit that comes in those form-fitted plastic cases you see in auto parts and hardware stores. These small kits are generally just $10-$30 and contain all the essential tools you need.
- Work gloves – Few people think about work gloves. A set of work gloves is a great thing to have in your emergency kit. Not only, can you use them to keep your hands clean, you may need them just to keep your hands warm during cold weather.
- First Aid Kit – If you have kids, you need a first aid kit in your car. These are usually available in pharmacies as a small kit that is easily stowed in your car. The glove box may be the best place to keep it so you can get at it quickly.
- Fix-A-Flat – If you get a flat tire, you don’t always have to change it. You might be able to use Fix-A-Flat. Fix-A-Flat is an aerosol can that connects to the valve stem of a flat tire. When it is sprayed into the tire, it fills the tire with air and squirts a sealant inside the tire to seals the leak.
Additional items: If you really want to be ready for anything, you might want to consider some additional items such as a jacket, drinking water, snow and ice brushes, some sand (for traction) and other items. Think about the emergencies you have been in in the past and see if you can identify items that could have “saved the day”.
