Chances are we have all been in a situation where we were stranded on the side of the road for some unforeseen reason. Whether it was because the car broke down, you got a flat tire, or the engine wouldn’t start, odds are you dealt with your situation by calling roadside assistance to come help – which is easy enough. It seems that we have begun to develop a sense of security when it comes to roadside emergencies. We think that no matter what might happen we can take out our cell phone and call for help.
However, everything does not always go as smoothly as you hope when your car breaks down. You might be on an isolated road with no cell service in the middle of the night when you need assistance. In that case, what will your plan be? Even if you can call for roadside assistance, the time to wait may be longer than you expect, so don’t be unprepared. Make sure that your car has the following vital supplies if and when you are stranded.
- Charged, back up cell phone
- Will come in handy if your primary cellular device runs out of battery in an emergency.
- First aid kit
- Fully stocked with Band-Aids, gauze, aspirin, creams and ointments, along with any other supplies specific to your medical needs.
- Fire Extinguisher
- Needs to be rated for Class B and Class C fires. Find out more about fire extinguisher classes at https://law.resource.org.
- Warning Triangles
- These should be set up 50 feet apart to warn other cars that your car is immobile in order to try to avoid further accidents or emergency situations.
- Jumper Cables
- Always great to have in case your car (or another car) needs a jump. (Remember that black, with a negative charge, hooks up to black and red, with the positive charge, hooks up to red).
- Bottled water
- You don’t know how long you’ll be waiting for help, so a couple of bottles of water can go a long way.
- Flashlight
- Make sure the batteries are new. It also would be beneficial to have back up batteries as well.
- Small snow shovel
- If you’re stuck in a snowstorm, this will be essential to dig yourself out and get back on the road.
- Air Compressor (with gauge)
- Will ensure that your tire pressure is where it needs to be to drive safely. There are battery powered air compressors that, though they are a bit expensive, are easily portable life-savers, especially if your tires are prone to leakage or loose air in the cold winter months.
- Tire sealant
- If your tire has a leak, the tire sealant will patch the hole, and then you can re-inflate it with the air compressor.
To greatly decrease your chances of breaking down or being stranded, take your car into Quality Lube Plus for a tune-up regularly.