Essential Items to Keep in Your Automobile

If you have roadside assistance and a cellphone signal, you can call for help in case of an emergency. If not, you’re going to wish that you had some essentials on hand. Consider keeping the following items in your vehicle to ensure that, no matter what happens on the road, you can get home safely:

• Blanket—A blanket can keep you warm if your vehicle breaks down in cold weather.
• Cellphone charger—If you use your phone for directions or music, it’s a good idea to charge the phone while driving so it is readily available in case of an emergency.
• First-aid kit—Purchase a prepackaged kit or assemble your own. The basics include bandages in multiple sizes, gauze, antibiotic cream, pain relievers, allergy medicine, latex-free disposable gloves, hand sanitizer and cotton swabs.
• Flashlight—Cellphones have a built-in flashlight, but you’ll likely want to preserve your battery in an emergency. Choose a heavy-duty, waterproof one.
• Jumper cables—Dead batteries happen. Jumper cables can help you—or somebody else—quickly get back on the road.
• Spare shoes and clothes—Sweatshirts, boots and other warm clothing stored in your trunk can be helpful.
• Toolkit—Consider a basic kit with a screwdriver, hammer, wrench and pliers.
• Work gloves—A thicker pair of gloves will come in handy if you need to do some heavy-duty work on the car.