Gear Head
- May 24
- 8 min read

Important Things To Always Have In Your Vehicle

In this article we will be talking about some of the most important items to have on the road with you during any type of road trip, may it be to the store down the road or to a resort halfway across the Country, these items can get you back on the road again and could save your life in case you were to ever get stranded or stuck somewhere along your journey.

I have personally used some of these items to help others on the road as well, so not only can these items help you and your family, but they can become useful to help society as well.

First Aid Kit:

Having a first-aid kit should be on everyone's list to have in their vehicle. There is no telling when you will be involved in an accident or come across one.

Some of the things that you should have in your First-Aid kit are;

Different size's of Band-Aids.
Tourniquet.
Alcohol wipes and sensitizers.
Adhesive Medical Tape and Gauze,
Medical Gloves.
Elastic wrap bandages.
Super Glue.
Eye shield or pad.
Nonstick sterile bandages and roller gauze in assorted sizes.
Duck Tape.
Petroleum jelly or other lubricant.
Plastic bags, assorted sizes.
Safety pins in assorted sizes.
Scissors and tweezers.
Hand sanitizer.
Antibiotic ointment
Antiseptic solution and towelettes.
Eyewash solution.
Thermometer.
Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing wounds.
Sterile saline for irrigation, flushing.
Breathing barrier (surgical mask).
Syringe, medicine cup or spoon.
First-aid manual.
Hydrogen peroxide to disinfect.

Medications

Aloe vera gel.
Calamine lotion.
Anti-diarrhea medication.
Laxative.
Antacids.
Antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine.
Hydrocortisone cream.
Cough and cold medications.
Personal medications that don't need refrigeration.
Auto-injector of epinephrine, if prescribed by your doctor.
Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others).

Emergency items

Emergency phone numbers, including contact information for your family doctor and pediatrician, local emergency services, emergency road service providers, and the poison help line, which in the United States is 800-222-1222.
Emergency Blankets.
Medical consent forms for each family member.
Medical history forms for each family member.
Small, waterproof flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries.
Waterproof matches.
Small notepad and waterproof writing instrument.
Emergency space blanket.
Cell phone with solar charger.
Sunscreen.
Insect repellant.

Having a survival kit with emergency food would be idle to have have on the road with you as well.

Battery Charger or Jumpers.

It is always a good idea to carry either a portable Jump Starter or a pair of jumpers with you incase your vehicle was to ever run out of juice, a battery charger would be the best item to invest your money in as you don't need anyone's help to jump your vehicle.

Just think about being broke down late at night on some Country backroad with no house or signs of life for miles, sure a pair of jumpers would work, but only if a passerby, friend or family member is willing to help you. The portable jumper will be your best friend during these situations as it can get your vehicle started in just a matter of seconds if connected correctly.

The portable Jump Starter can be recharged using any home outlet, and also has a light to help you see if you were to break down at night.

This is a portable charger that I got at Wal-Mart, it is called "Instant Charge by Duralast, you can buy one for low as $79.99.

You will achieve effective and convenient jumps with this jump starter. I personally helped 3 people get on the road again with this jumper. It features a 1.75IN cable reach that allows it to extend into the starting points of your vehicle of all shapes and sizes. You can position the battery charger near the battery to reach the starting points. The powerJaw clamps deliver maximum power transfer (rated to 1000 Amp) and durability, thanks to their alloy core and dual molded design.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Weight: 8.9lbs

Warranty: 1 Year Warranty

12 Volt DC Outlet: Quantity: 1

Amperage Rating: 800

Wire Gauge Measurement: 6GU

USB Port: Quantity 1 Cigarette Lighter Port: 1

Cable Length: 1.75IN

Built-In Light: Yes

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This Duralast DL-800 Jump Starter and Portable Power unit can quickly start your vehicle incase of an emergency. This charger is good for use on any power sport vehicles, motorcycles and 4-6 cylinder cars. This unit includes a USB port for charging any type of electronic device.

Built-in light has energy efficient ultra bright LEDs.
2A USB port for 2x faster charging than a 1A output which charges all USB devices including smartphones and tablets.
Swivel AC plug
LED indicators for internal battery status
Heavy duty 6-gauge cables with insulated clamp handles that fit both top and side post batteries.
On/Off light switch
Hook-up safeguard alarm
DOE compliant

Price for this charger is $79.99

Car Jack:

It is always a good idea to carry a tire jack in your trunk at all times, as flats can happen at anytime, but will mostly occur if a tire is worn and damaged. They can help assist you in putting on your spare tire, and without one don't expect to hit the road again anytime soon.

A Star:

A star is used normally as a tool to help take the nuts off of your rim so you can change a damaged tire.

This tool along with a car jack and spare tire is good to have in your vehicle as it can help you get back on the road faster and without waiting for roadside assistance.

Tire Slime:

Tire slime is good to have in your vehicle as it can help repair and prevent any future flats. This doesn't mean that you should drive on a damage tire for long, as this is normally used as a temporary fix until you can get it fully repaired.

Spare Tire:

Ahh, the spare tire, now this is something that everyone should have in their truck, without a spare you're looking at having to tow your vehicle home. A spare, car jack and a star which is used to remove the rim/tire are all good items to have with you on the road during your travels.

Air Pump:

An air pump is good to always have incase you're running low on air and can't get to an air pump.

Car Vacuum:

Car Vacuums are great to have if you love outdoor adventures, they can save you money at the car wash as you can just pull your car up into the garage and plug in the vac to clean your car right from the comfort of your home. My family takes 7 or more trips/adventures a week and we have 3 children, so as you can guess our car gets dirty after every trip, and knowing that I can just vacuum my car out once we get home from every trip at the comfort of my own front yard gives me a piece of mind.

Hand Warmers:

Handwarmers are nothing that can get your car back on the road, but they are good to have incase you're ever stranded in the cold weather, they can warm up your hands and can be used for heat to warm up your body.

Fact:

A single pair can last 10/hours.

A Knife/Seat Belt Cutter/Window Breaker:

I drive with a knife on my person and have one secured in all my vehicles.

These are not only knives, these knives have the capability to also break out my window incase I ever needed to do so, for example; if my vehicle was ever submerged under water.

Your knife should also have a seatbelt cutter incase you get stuck in a situation where you are submerged in/under water or if your seatbelt ever locks up on you in a crash.

This knife comes with a good size blade, flashlight, fire starter, window breaker and a seatbelt cutter and you can grab one at your local Wal-Mart our outdoorsmen store for $49.99 for a good one and as low as $20 for a decent one.

Winter Protection Items:

Having stuff that can remove snow from around and underneath your vehicle would be great to have with you as you travel on Winter Weathered roads.

Stuff that would be idle to have with you during the Winter seasons would be.

1: Having snow tires on your vehicle during the Winter Season.

2: Snow Chains to prevent you front sliding and getting stuck in the snow.

3: Ice Melt or cat litter is great for gaining traction and could get you unstuck.

4: A folding snow shovel to dig your vehicle out of the snow.

5 Snow/Ice removal brush to remove the ice and snow from your car.

A Flashlight:

Having a flashlight in your vehicle at all times is a good idea.

This type of flashlight is called a mechanical flashlight. It not only can help you see at night when your vehicle's battery dies but can also help you find that missing nut you lost in your engine as well.

Gas/Gas Can:

Having some extra gas in the trunk can save your butt.

Just imagine going on a road trip and as you're driving you notice you're going to be hitting ("E" empty) within the next 5 miles, however you notice the next gas station isn't until another 15 miles, you won't ever have to face that fear if you were to have an extra gallon or so of gas in the trunk.

Do it safely, don't be putting it in garbage bags or anything other than a gas can lol.

Fire Extinguisher:

Having a fire extinguisher in your car is a great idea, not only can you put out a fire that may occur in or under your car hood, but you can help someone during your journey that may need to extinguish a fire themselves.

You can get one at your local Fire Department or as cheap as $16.99 at your local Wal-Mart.

Flare gun:

A flare gun, which is also referred to as a signal pistol, is a large-bore handgun that discharges flares, and is usually orange in color. Flare guns are typically used to produce a distress signal.

You might be asking yourself "why would I need a flare gun in my car?" Well, the simple answer to that is, you never know when you will need one. You could be out on an adventure and end up breaking down and being lost, sending a stress signal in the while a passing aircraft is going over can help you get located and saved.

Another good thing to have in your car is a;

Survival Kit:

The importance of a Survival Kit or a preparedness kit is to survive of course.

When packing a Survival kit, you should ensure that you're packing only necessary supplies and items. These kits can be used in case of a disaster, or a non-disaster emergency like being stranded on a remote road where food and water could be compromised. Ensuring that you have the right equipment means that people traveling with you, your loved ones and other citizens are always taken care of, and people can survive until help arrives.

Note: Ensuring that you have; shelter, water, fire, and food are your key factors of surviving.

Other important things to have in your kit are.

Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
Food (at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food)
Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids or laxatives
Prescription medications
Cash or traveler's checks
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
Fire extinguisher
Flashlight
Matches in a waterproof container
First aid kit - as listed above.
Extra batteries
Whistle (to signal for help)
Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual can opener (for food)
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

Cat Litter

Yup, you read it right. Be a good neighbor and pass this tip on. Keep a bag of cat litter in the trunk of your vehicle during the Winter months. Cat litter can help you out in case you find yourself stuck in the snow. All you have to do is sprinkle cat litter under your tires for traction.

I have heard that using cat litter can help get you unstuck from the snow from my uncle Jerry.

I also hearing something similar on the 70's Show, where Red Forman packs an emergency kit/box for a ski-tip that his son Eric and his friends were preparing for.