But First, Car Safety
The Top 10 items you need in your car for roadside emergencies
Parents (and especially moms-to-be eating for two) need a well-earned break from cooking sometimes! So yeah, a quick drive to the drive-through for a hot drink or a grotesquely delicious burger and fries can sometimes be crucial to one’s well-being.
When we’re in that state of ecstatic ravenousness, the last thing we want to think about when hopping into the car is: What do I need if my car breaks down?
But this stuff happens. Burgers and fries happen. Life happens. Emergencies happen - a breakdown is actually likely to happen to us 4 times in one lifetime! In fact, the AAA responds to more than 32 million calls for roadside assistance, every year. Whoa!
Good news though; we’ve got you covered.
But First, Some Tips for You
Here’s what to do if the unexpected happens while driving:
Call 911 if you break down or are in an accident.
If your phone is not working or you’re out of service, we highly recommend having this radio on hand and using the universal emergency channel: 16 (156.800).
If you pop a tire, risk your rims, not your life.
Risk ruining the rims of your car and drive off of the freeway into a well lit area as soon as possible. This is much safer than pulling to the side of the freeway, or worse, staying stuck in that freeway lane!
If you’re stuck in a shopping center, talk to employees before strangers.
If you’re in a parking lot and your battery has just died, we recommend running inside and asking a worker or uniformed security personnel for help instead of a random stranger in the parking lot.
Broken down and alone?
Call for professional help, and then call a loved one. Remember to keep a loved one on the phone with you until help arrives. Once help arrives, we recommend having your loved one meet you or stay on the phone with you until you feel safe.
And now, Let’s get ready.
The following handy-dandy list consists of what you would need most (and why) in case an accident or breakdown happens.
1. Jumper Cables
It happens to all of us! Sometimes we leave the car door open too long or a light gets left on while we run into the store and then, wammmp wammmp, our car won’t start. It’s great to be prepared with jumper cables so you can charge your battery quickly with the assistance of another person’s car.
2. Water
Having extra water on hand is great if you’re stuck for a while and want to avoid dehydration, but it’s also useful for pouring into your radiator should your car get overheated. Remember to never pour water directly ON your car engine or it will crack.
3. Thick Blanket
Not just for keeping warm or comforting a scared child, blankets are also nice if you have to lay down to fix something underneath the car too. They’re a must-have if you live anywhere that has winter storms or tornadoes. We recommend having at least two on hand.
4. Protein Bars or Nuts
Stuck for a few hours and still waiting for help? Be hangry no more! Protein bars and nuts fill you up, hold up pretty well (meaning you can leave them in your car and forget about them), and have balanced protein + healthy fats, minimal sugar.
5. Radio
Maybe you’re driving in the middle of a crazy storm, flood, or earthquake and your car breaks down. Use your radio as another means to stay up-to-date with emergency alerts. Remember, channel 16 (156.800) is the universal channel for help. This radio is NOAA enabled too, and you’ll never need batteries because this one uses a crank.
6. Portable Solar-powered Phone Charger
You can’t always rely on your car’s battery to help you charge your phone. Yes, both your car battery and your phone battery can die at the same time. Not so fun. With this, you’ll always be able to charge your phone up to call for help. Also doubles as a flashlight!
7. Headlamp
These are of course for night time to help you see when you’re stuck on the side of the road in the middle of frickin’ nowhere, but they also to help you see what’s up with your car if needed i.e. popping that engine hood and tinkering away to solve the problem yourself.
8. First Aid Kit
We love this first aid kit because it’s tiny enough to fit in your car to address any roadside injuries, but it’s also not-messing-around. Meaning, it’s totally legit. It was assembled by working paramedics and critical care nurses!
9. Flares or Reflective Triangles
Growing up, no one told of the importance of having flares or reflective triangles in our car, but they should have! Simply put, these let other cars (or emergency responders) see you better, which is always safer. They’re LED, battery powered, and can be seen from a mile away.
10. Multipurpose Tool
Multipurpose tools can help with minor fixes to your car, and minor injuries too. This one’s a no-brainer and a great gift idea too!