Car Emergency Kit

What to pack in your car's emergency kit is debatable because everyone seems to have their own opinions as to what's necessary and what isn't. Some say they need no emergency kit because they belong to an auto club such as AAA and need only to call them. However, sometimes we forget things like cell phones and find ourselves on the side of the road with either a flat tire or dead battery. Sometimes, the car simply dies for no apparent reason.

Emergency situations like this usually happen at awkward times like before daylight when cars are whizzing by in a hurry to get to work and you would be very lucky if anyone stopped to help you. And if you're a woman alone, you'd be apprehensive of who might approach you in the dark on the side of the road.

Jumper cables:
It will do you very little good to have jumper cables unless you have another car there to connect them to. You could stand by the road and wave the cables hoping a sympathetic motorist will stop and give you a boost. But there is a better way. You can purchase a battery booster at most anyplace that sell auto supplies.

It's a compact box with cables attached that you simply connect to your battery, wait a few minutes and crank your car. That is really the best way to protect yourself if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road with a dead battery. They are relatively inexpensive, especially considering the convenience.

Fix-a-flat:
If you've simply picked up a nail or other sharp object, a fix-a-flat should be able to get you to a garage. It is dangerous to attempt changing a flat tire by the side of the road. If you're dressed for work, you'll more than likely be a filthy mess by the time you succeed in changing a flat.

Fix-a-flat is foam in a can. You simply shake it vigorously, push it against the valve stem of the tire, and the can empties the foam into your tire, sealing the hole while inflating your tire. Likely as not, you could proceed to work and take care of the tire afterwards. A can of Fix-a-flat should always be in your car for emergency situations such as this.

Flashlight:
Common sense dictates the need for a flashlight. You can't connect cables to your battery if you can't see the terminals. You can't push the fix-a-flat against the valve stem if you can't see it. It is simple common sense to always carry a flashlight in your car.

First-aid kit:
Having a first-aid kit is also common sense for a number of reasons. But for roadside emergencies, it is essential. People get nervous and in a hurry which can lead to accidents requiring first-aid such as band-aids, antiseptic ointments, bandages, and medical tape.

Blankets or jackets:
In cold weather regions, getting stranded on the side of the road can be a serious situation. You could find yourself sitting in your car for hours in freezing temperatures. A blanket could quite possibly save your life. Vacuum bags can flatten the blanket to keep it fresh and clean and will make it easy to store.

Water:
In hot climates, a gallon of water should always be in your car. Being stranded in extreme heat for any length of time, water can keep you from dehydrating. Furthermore, cars often overheat more in hot climates, especially if you're running the air-conditioner, so a gallon of water could get you to a place to refill your radiator.

With cars being so compact today, there's not a lot of room so you can't very well fill the whole trunk with things you may never use. Therefore, the things to pack in your emergency kit are the things to help you get to safety or help you stay safe until help arrives.

Considering the times we are living in, along with serious weather changes, having a car emergency kit is essential. Unexpected storms have been popping up, catching people completely off-guard and unprepared. Money is tight and people are on edge. Road rage is happening more and more with every passing day.

Jesus warned us of these times in Matthew 24:

Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be...

Jesus seems to be suggesting that whatever is going to happen is going to happen suddenly. Everyone needs to prepare a car emergency kit with not only the afore mentioned items, but also food and clothes. Never let your gas hand get past halfway and always have a little extra cash and be sure to have a car charger for your cell phone. Have a plan in place with your loved ones with an established meeting place.