You’re Covered in a Roadside Emergency with this Custom Car Kit

Written By John Linden

You’re driving along, and you nick a nail in the road. Now you’re forced to pull to the side because you have a flat, but when you start rummaging around in the trunk you realize one thing – you forgot to pack your spare.

So now you have to call for help and you have to either cough up $60 or more to pay for a towing service or use up one of your precious tows from your AAA membership. Neither option seems terribly appealing. Worse yet, you probably have to wait a few hours for the tow truck to get to you because you just happened to get a flat while you were in the middle of nowhere.

In such a scenario how would you fare? Do you have a blanket to keep you warm from the freezing night air? Do you have water to keep you cool from the baking sun? Do you have the tools needed to fix a flat?

Worry not! We’re going to help you assemble a handy dandy custom car kit to ensure you’re ready to handle any roadside emergencies that may pop up. Let’s jump right in.

Custom car kit essentials for roadside emergencies

Food

No custom car kit would be complete without food for emergency situations. Pack dried food, protein snacks, canned foods, grain bars, etc. Essentially, you should pack food that won’t go bad when left in your car for an extended period of time. Don’t forget to replace the food on a regular basis if you don’t end up eating it.

Communication

Your cellphone may serve as your only lifeline if you’re stuck out in the middle of nowhere. Bring along two or three portable charges to ensure that your cellphone stays charged for as long you need it – you never know how long you’ll be stuck.

Bring along walkie-talkies just in case you and your passengers have to split up to search for help. Be mindful that trees and hills may reduce your signal, but it’s certainly better than not communicating at all.

Emergency signaling

If you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere than you may need to flag down help from passing motorists. There are a variety of emergency signaling tools you can use to flag down help:

• LED flares

• Roadside triangles

• Air horns

• Mirrored signaling devices

• Chem flares

In some cases, your only option may be to turn up your radio to extreme levels to signal others to your location. That’s a situation you want to avoid at all costs, however, so make sure you bring along emergency signaling tools to make sure you’re prepared.

First Aid Kit

You can find any standard first aid kit at your local drug store or Wal-Mart. The bigger the kit, the better because that ensures you’ll have an ample supply of bandages, antibiotic creams, wraps, and other vital medical supplies to treat light injuries.

Water

Having bottles of water on hand is always a must no matter where you drive. Ensure that you have enough for yourself, your passengers, plus a few extra bottles just to be safe.

Light and heat

You should be prepared to break down at any time of day (or night). Bring along flashlights and fires starters to be fully prepared for any situation that may arise. To stay warm, bring along a blanket. If you have room throw in hand and feet warmers too.

Maintenance

There are a number of common tools that are essential to your custom car kit. These include:

• Tire gauge

• Tire jack

• Jumper cables

• Tow Strap

• Car charger kit

• Foam tire sealant

• Tire iron

• Fire extinguisher

• Duct tape

• Spare tire

Bringing these tools along can mean the difference between sitting out in the middle of nowhere for hours on end as you wait for a tow or getting back underway (after a minor delay) after performing self-maintenance on your vehicle.

Seasonal items to pack into your custom kit

Each season brings with it a new set of difficulties. For the winter season make sure to add the following to your custom kit:

• Tire chains

• Ice scraper

• De-icer

• Shovel

During the summer months make sure to pack some sunblock.

Extra items

Each situation/family is different. Consider bringing these additional items if they apply to your situation:

• Items for a baby (i.e., diapers and formula)

• Change of clothing

• Gloves

• Extra shoes

• Prescription medication

Storage

Consider how you intend on keeping your kit organized in your vehicle. Plastic tubs with lids are a great option (found at Wal-Mart at affordable prices). Plastic containers are lightweight and can easily slide into your trunk which will make it that much easier when you need to access your emergency equipment.

Don’t forget about your glove compartment! You can place all sorts of easy-to-store items in there. Also, certain vehicles come with armrests that double as storage compartments – make sure to utilize every nook and cranny of storage that you can!

Packing the perfect custom kit to keep you safe

You can weather any vehicle emergency when you bring along the right tools for the job. Custom car kits are easy to assemble and will provide peace of mind the next time you decide to jump behind the wheel for a road trip.

Don’t forget to pack along one of the most vital things you need to protect your vehicle from the elements – a car cover of course! Visit CarCovers.com to peruse a wide selection of car and truck covers for BMW, Jeep Wrangler, Ford and much more!

Our custom car covers are second to none and we’re confident you’ll be happy with our selection.

Featured Image Credit:stux / Pixabay
In Post Image credit: the little red house / Flickr