Your vehicle is the epicenter of your comfort zone, however, it often takes you to places that are all but safe and secure. Because of that, you need to understand just how important it is to be prepared for any situation. Luckily, your trunk is most likely big enough to help. This is especially important to think about since you might find yourself behind the wheel of a car whose origin you’re not familiar with (e.g. a new buy or a rental vehicle).
Nevertheless, you can’t have it all, seeing as how even the biggest of trucks have a limited amount of space. For instance, carrying a tent when going on a road trip or camping is a great idea, but carrying it around during your commute to work or when visiting your relatives in another town is just ludicrous. With that in mind and without further ado, here are 7 things you absolutely need to have in your trunk at all times.
7 Things You Absolutely Need to Have in Your Trunk
- Jumper Cables:
You would be shocked at just how often the battery in your vehicle drains. Once this happens, you need only two things to get it up and running. First, you need a friendly passerby. Second, you need a set of jumper cables. Sure, there’s always a probability that a person you stop will have their own jumper cables, but why take the risk? As for the use, you just connect black to black and red to red, while carefully holding for the rubber part. One last tip: make sure that both cars are in neutral when you first connect the cables.
- First Aid Kit:
The next thing you need in your vehicle is a sealed first aid kit. This is one of those items you hope you’ll never get to use, yet it is also something you can’t even risk starting your car without. No matter how quickly you call the EMT and how fast their response is, you might need to do a bit more in order to preserve life. First aid kits have some of the essential items necessary for you to do so.
- Hazard Vest and Triangle:
One of the things that a lot of people neglect to understand is the gravity of an emergency breakdown. Sure, taking your car to a reliable car repair center is mandatory before any trip, however, unexpected things may happen, even if you do have a nearby mechanic on speed dial. You need to know how to protect your motionless vehicle on the side of the road.During the night, hazard vests and triangles will help you get spotted by arriving mechanic/towing service, thus preventing the possibility of getting missed or hit. Furthermore, some insurance companies, like Metromile, already provide 24/7 roadside assistance, which is yet another handy safeguard to have in mind.
- Spare Tire and Jack Lug Wrench:
There is virtually no driver out there who hasn’t had a flat tire at least once in his or her life. Therefore, it’s outright irresponsible sitting behind the wheel, let alone going on a road trip, if you don’t know how to change a tire. Still, knowledge alone might not suffice, seeing as how you can’t unscrew the bolts with your bare hand (at least not if they’re safely fastened). That’s why you need a lug wrench, as well as a spare. Aside from this, you also need a jack in order to lift your car slightly off the ground. Once you have these three items, you’ll be able to safely replace any flat tire without any worry.
- Flashlight:
The next item you absolutely must have in your trunk is a flashlight. Keep in mind that some on-road accidents may happen at night. Needless to say, your level of mechanical prowess is completely irrelevant if you can’t see what you’re doing. Fortunately, a flashlight doesn’t take much space, which is why some prefer to keep it up front in the glove compartment. In this way, you can get your hands on it as soon as the vehicle stops.
- Air Pump:
While some people may disagree on this point, it’s incredibly important to have an air pump with you. Sure, a spare tire is always a more reliable solution but what happens if two of your tires go flat. At least one of them might be inflated so why wouldn’t you have a device that can help you do that in your trunk.
- Blanket:
Finally, this item may seem a bit unexpected on the list, but there’s really no reason for such surprise. After all, a blanket is a multi-tool to be used on so many different occasions. On a road trip, you can use it as a surface on which you can set up your camp. In a situation where you’re forced to stop unexpectedly, you can use it to wrap yourself in and get a bit warmer, more comfortable sleep. And if you’re ever forced to pull something hot or dirty, you can wrap the blanket around it to act as an insulator. You would be surprised just how often the latter situation occurs.
At the very end, there are some additional things you might consider taking like some water and snacks. The key to the list was to include items you can just safely deposit in the trunk and forget you even have them there. Snacks may have an expiration date and aren’t really vital to urban commute, even during the rush hour. As for the above-listed seven items, they don’t take much space but make a world of difference.
Nick is a blogger and a management expert currently engaged in projects for Media Gurus, an Australian business, and marketing resource. He is an aspiring street artist and a passionate traveler.