Your car is probably home to forgotten items of clothing, possibly a coffee mug, some leftover food or snacks, and more loose change than you can count. But what happens if you end up stranded in the middle of nowhere with a broken down car? Here are a few essentials that you should always have in your car:
Siphon pump
If you run out of petrol and someone is kind enough to stop and offer to let you siphon some fuel from their tank, then you’re going to need a siphon pump to get the fuel from their tank to your car or petrol can.
Petrol can
If you need to take a little trek to a petrol station in order to get fuel because you’ve been ignoring your car’s petrol gauge warning light, then you’re going to need a petrol can. Make sure that you never keep a full one in the car, as driving around with a full can of petrol lying in your car is just asking for trouble.
Jumper cables
A dead battery is like a rake in the grass, it can strike at any time. Make sure that you have a pair of jumper cables in your in car to give your battery that much needed boost if it suddenly dies on you.
First aid kit
A first aid kit is useful any time, not just if your car breaks down somewhere. Make sure that you regularly check the first aid kit to ensure that everything you need is in it and that nothing has expired.
Car phone charger / Powerbank
What’s worse than being stranded in the middle of nowhere? Having a dead cellphone battery. Make sure that you have a car charger or a fully charged powerbank (solar powerbanks are a great option in this case because you don’t have to worry about charging it every night).
Multi-tool
You never know what tool you’re going to need in an emergency, so instead of getting a bulky tool-box, get a multi-tool. It covers most of your bases and is way more space efficient than a tool box.
Map
GPS and satellite navigation is great…when it works, but what do you do when you’re out of range or the tech just doesn’t work? A road map of the area is super helpful to have in the car.
Reflective triangle
If you break down on the side of the road, it’s a good idea to let passing motorists know that you’re having some car trouble. A reflective triangle is great in lowlight and poor visibility weather.
Besides all of the above, make sure that you keep some non-perishable food and some bottled water in the car. There’s nothing worse than being stranded in the middle of nowhere with nothing to eat.
