Emergency Kit Essentials
Emergency Kit Essentials
Essentials For Roadside Emergency Kit
Tips from ACA for Roadside Emergency Kits
You can’t always control what happens to your car. Flat tires, dead batteries, and collisions can happen to even the most cautious drivers. What you can do is make sure that you are prepared for those situations. A good roadside emergency kit can help get your car started, keep you safe while you’re on the side of the road, and it might even allow you to get safely to a repair shop without a tow. There are prepackaged emergency kits out there for sale, but you can put one together yourself for less. Here are the items essential for a good roadside emergency kit.
A cell phone is perhaps the most important item you can have in case of an emergency. You can call 911 if that’s necessary, or you can contact AAA, a towing company, or your car insurance company. A car charger will help you keep your phone fully charged.
Jumper cables are another key item to have in your car. Even if you take good care of your own battery, you can come to someone else’s rescue. A portable battery booster is a great alternative, because it doesn’t require a second (working) car to charge the dead battery.
Tires are one source of trouble that you can at least temporarily deal with on your own. A tire gauge can help you make sure that all of your tires are properly inflated (and therefore less likely to give you trouble). Don’t forget to make sure your spare tire is properly inflated as well. If you do get a flat, foam tire sealant and an inflator can help get you back on the road at least long enough to get to a repair shop like Advanced Computer Automotive.
If you’re working on the tires, jumping a dead battery, or stranded along the road, there are a few safety precautions to take. Be sure to put out reflective warning markers (often triangles) or flares. These will let other drivers know you’re there and to watch out. Some may even stop and give you a hand. A flashlight or two will allow you to work in the dark, and be sure to keep extra batteries. You might even consider keeping a pair of gloves handy.
A first aid kit containing bandages, gauze, tape, antiseptic, pain relievers, and the like is something to consider keeping in your car. Other things that may be nice to have in the event you’re stranded for a while include drinking water, a rain poncho, and possibly a blanket.
If you’re traveling somewhere with snow (or in those rare instances where we experience a little ourselves), consider keeping a windshield ice scraper around. A warm blanket, a shovel, and even cat litter to help your tires gain traction are also useful things to have.
If you do run into a roadside emergency and your car ends up needing repairs, remember that you can rely on the professional mechanics at ACA Auto. Call us at (562) 421-1905.