It is hard to choose the right emergency kit for a car without thinking about where the car is located. Also, whether it is a frequent driver or someone new to driving. Then consider where the car will be traveling too. Your weather would be a consideration too. Also, rather it was winter or summer.
A lot of people rely on their cell phones, thinking they can always call 911 or triple AAA for assistance. AAA has been around for longer than I have and is highly recommended by the American Automobile Association. In the year of 2020 alone, they rescued 33 million motorists alone. But, relying on these two prospects alone, is a big mistake as well. A person can leave their city and lose their signal within just a few miles. It really depends on where you live.
Some newer cars that are not equipped with 911 assistance may have Onstar. This is wonderful to have, unless that fails, because the electrical system has crashed for some reason.
AAA offers the BET system to start with. That stands for battery, engine, and tires. We will be discussing this, in more detail later on, during our search for the best emergency kit for your car.
Another thing to consider is expense. You can go as inexpensive, to as much as you wish. To tell the truth, each kit could be bought separately, then you could make a better one, using pieces out of all of them. Of course, that would be rather expensive. But you would have plenty of refillable supplies left over.
First Things First
First thing to consider before any trip is what the AAA calls the BET system. This stands for battery, engine, and tires. First thing we want to check before any trip would be the battery. Batteries are not the batteries of old. If your battery is already a couple of years old, you may want to have it checked. If it needs replacing, replace it before your trip. You can have this checked at your local auto parts store, or mechanic shop. Make sure your terminals are clean and tight. Make sure they have no loose wiring going to them.
OK, next is the engine. You want to check the oil and coolant systems, and any other fluid levels you have. Look for leaks in the engine compartment, or under the car. If you find any, find the source and repair it. Is there a check engine light on in your dash, or other light? If so, you can also have this checked out at your local auto parts store, or mechanic. This may be a good time to purchase a good OBD2 sensor. It will give you the code, then just google the code to see what the problem is. If you purchase one, or have one, it would be handy to keep in the glove compartment while you are traveling.
Finally, but not least, tires. Make sure you have a spare tire, and it is aired up. Of course, you want to make sure you have a working jack, and lug wrench, for removing lug nuts. Check your tires for bulging, or cracking, or maybe divots on the sides. You also need to check your tread. The simplest way I know to do this, is with a penny. Insert Lincon’s head down first, into the tread, if you can see all of Lincoln’s head, you need to replace the tire before leaving.
I couple of Items you should also make sure to include in your kit, are a good air compressor to blow up a flat tire. Of course, you want to include something to fix a hole, or a bottle of tire seal, or perhaps both.
Medical Supplies
As you can probably guess, there are tons of medical kits you could put in your car. Again, it depends on your area, but it also depends, on how prepared you intend to be. You can spend anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. I might also add, in today’s world, you may want to consider a massive gunshot wound kit. Either, for just the members of your family, or for multiple people.
You never know when you may run into a school shooting, or some other mass event. Personally, I carry a separate mass shooting bag (Rhino Rescue Ifak Trauma First Aid Kit Molle Medical Pouch for Tactical Military, Car Travel, or Hiking) which can be found on Amazon for around $100.
Folks, emergencysurvivalkititems is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and “as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.” I want to tell you that, on the front end, so there are no misunderstandings. I may, or may not, it depends on factors we do not have to discuss. Now to the real heart of the matter, your safety, and maybe your life!
I found, Amazon also has as much standard medical supply kits and refills, as you could wish for. I would recommend, at least one triangle bandage, one pair of heavy-duty surgical scissors, safety pins, and a leg and arm splint, plenty of gauge tape, and several Mylar emergency blankets, in which ever kit you buy.
Prepare For the Long Haul
It may seem a little odd that I suggest preparing for the long haul. Listen, if your vehicle should leave the road, you could end up in the bottom of a deep ravine. You may not be visible from the road. What if it were winter? I read an article about a family in Colorado who had car trouble and had pulled off the side of the road during a blizzard. They were not discovered until three days later, when a state truck, clearing snow of the road, hit their car by accident. So, there are times when you may need food and water for a minimum of 72 hours. You can buy these meals, complete with a day’s supply of water, from Amazon or 4patriot.com. But do not forget to pick up some kind of heating source, to heat the water for your meal.
What Are the Basics?
It is hard to find just the right emergency kit for your car. The best we could do is pick one that has more of the fundamentals and then add a few items, either in the beginning, or when your budget allows. I found one that is sold on Amazon, and is put together by AAA, (LIFELINE 4388AAA Excursion Road, 76-Piece) that seemed reasonable to start with.
Folks, emergencysurvivalkititems is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and “as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.” I want to tell you that, on the front end, so there no misunderstandings. I may, or may not, it depends on factors we do not have to discuss. Now to the real heart of the matter, your safety, and maybe your life!
The medical kit was nothing to talk about, and it needs a few items yet. If we add a fire extinguisher, gloves, duct tape, and a reflective vest, that will bring it closer to a good kit. Also, I highly recommend getting a set, or two of emergency beacons.
When I was a young man, my dad worked for the railroad. I could get the old railroad flares for nothing. With today’s technology they have beacons that can be seen for up to a mile. They are also magnetized and have hooks. So, you can hang them on a mirror, or attach them to the side of the vehicle. With enough of them you, could put two or three on your vehicle, and four or five directing cars around yourself, and vehicle. They come with batteries included and run off AAA batteries, which are accessible anywhere. I found a set of 6 on amazon, (12 Pack Flare Light LED Road Safety Flashing Warning Kit Roadside Emergency Beacon Magnet Hook Car) Your vehicle is sure to be noticed during the low light, and dark hours, when it is the most dangerous.
Conclusion
Well, as you can see by now, choosing the right emergency survival kit for your car, is not a task to be taken lightly. But, with a little list making, and research on your part, it can be done well. Sometimes, like anything else, it comes down to a budget. I hope I have helped in that regard some with my article.
There are a lot of survival car kits you can buy, and perhaps it would be easier, to make one of your own. If that is the case, think about what you want to be prepared for, in a medical kit, think of the tools you cannot afford to do without, if you were to break down, and go for it.
I would like to leave you with this thought though. The very first step, is to make sure your vehicle is in good working order, as discussed in the first few paragraphs above. Then have fun but pay attention while you drive. Do not text and drive!
OK, that about does it for this episode on, emergency survival kit items. I hope you have enjoyed our blog today. My hope is, if it helps just one of you, from having a miserable road trip, into a not so bad one, then I have served my purpose here. I appreciate you spending time with me today. If you have a comment, or perhaps an experience of your own, you would like to share, just leave it in the comment box below. I would love to hear from you. Again, thanks and until we meet again, may God keep you and bless you and your family.
Tom
tom@emergencysurvivalkititems.com