Some people like to live out of their car. Others prefer to keep it spick and span. But even if you’re a neat freak, certain items could really come in handy to keep in your ride for specific situations.
For example, if your car was to die in a parking lot or you were to be stranded sleeping in your ride on a cold night, would you have the necessary provisions to make it bearable. Here are a few suggestions for provisions that won’t clutter things up too bad, but might just save your bacon.
Jumper Cables
This one is easy. Learn how to use them, red to red, black to black. Always connect positive before negative—red first—on both batteries and then connect the negative, or ground side of the battery to avoid a spark shower.
Water Bottles
You can go for weeks without food, but a few days without water can be fatal. So have a little extra water around in the ride. You don’t have to shell out much for it. You can even just refill the old bottles.
Tire Pressure Gauge
There are practical reasons, like fuel economy, and then there’s the scenario where you think the car is losing air.
Snacks
If you have to spend longer than you planned in the car, a few bites can go a long way. Make sure the food won’t perish, consider freeze-dried or shelf-stable items.
Reflective Triangle
If you do break down on a busy road, this easy to use tool will catch the light and make sure that others see you. People aren’t expecting someone standing in the road, so it’s an excellent addition to your kit.
Blanket
The mercury tends to drop when the sun goes down. Instead of keeping your engine running, which can be hazardous to your health and wallet, have a warm blanket or two around to keep you cozy at night. It’ll add some color to your interior, too.
Flashlight
Whether it’s a traffic stop in the dark and you can’t find your registration or you’ve just dropped your ring on the floor and can’t lose it, a flashlight fits comfortably in your glove compartment and will almost definitely come in handy.
Owner’s Manual
Suffering through a long road trip with your copilot navigating because you can’t figure out the infotainment system? These usually come in the car. Leave ‘em there, they are packed with useful information you’ve been brainwashed to ignore.
First Aid Kit
A few bandages, some ibuprofen, tweezers…the list goes on. A simple first aid kit can be cheap and oh-so-practical. If you don’t make an effort to have it around, there’s no going back when you need it.
Phone Charger
Most of the time, we miss our phones because we want to check out what Kylie Jenner just tweeted. In an emergency, however, a dead phone is a dangerous situation. Keep that thing juiced up.
You’re probably already thinking of the things that never leave your car that should have made this list. That’s great, bring those along too! If there’s something we forgot that you want to share with the world, add it to the comments section below.
Scott Huntington is a writer and car fanatic from Harrisburg, PA.