Handy items to keep in your car
We spend a lot of our lives in our cars, and we rely on them to get us from A to B without issue. However, problems can strike at any time when you’re out and about, but you’ll thank yourself for stocking up your car with a few essential items, making things like breakdowns, accidents and adverse weather easier to deal with.
Torch
From having to look under the bonnet to looking under a seat for something you’ve dropped, a torch will always be handy.
High Vis Clothing
As they say, be safe, be seen! If you find yourself broken down at the side of a busy road, a high vis vest will keep you visible to other road users.
Reflective Warning Triangle
A reflective warning triangle will catch the eye (and the headlights) of other motorists, alerting them to your stationary vehicle. It’s best to carry two in the car; one for the front, and one for the back.
Empty fuel can
Sometimes we overestimate our fuel tank’s capacity and find ourselves out of petrol or diesel. Keeping an empty fuel can to hand means that you can walk to the nearest petrol station, fill up and return to your vehicle with enough to get you at least to another petrol station.
Mobile phone charger
A portable battery pack is best, with enough charge in it to bring your phone back to life should you be unfortunate enough for it to go flat.
Ice scraper
Winters here in the UK can see us regularly de-icing our cars, so keep a dedicated scraper handy for when your windscreen freezes over. By law, you should be able to see out of every glass panel in your vehicle, so scraping thoroughly keeps you on the right side of the rules too.
First aid kit
Accidents can happen, and a basic first-aid kit can prove very useful if you need something like a plaster while you’re out and about.
Warm clothing
If you’re broken down and need to wait for recovery, it can get chilly very quickly. Having some extra warm clothes in the boot can keep you toasty until help arrives.
Jump leads and portable battery pack
Batteries go flat at the most inconvenient of moments, but if you keep jump leads in your car, you’ve got a chance of resolving the problem with the help of another motorist. Better still, a portable battery pack can help you out if there’s no one else around.
Non-perishable snacks
The last thing you need is to be stranded and hungry! Keeping things like biscuits, crisps, and energy bars in the car can provide you with a boost if you’re waiting for recovery.