As a motorist, it is important that you are prepared for all situations whenever you get behind the wheel. You never know what might happen while driving whether this is a burst tyre, an accident or breaking down in the middle of nowhere. This is why you need to be aware of the essentials that you should have in your car at all times. Keep reading to find out more.
Safety
If there is an issue with your car, it is important that you have what you need to stay safe and get back on the road. This will include items such as:
- Phone and charger
- Jumper cables
- First aid kit
- Tyre pressure gauge
- Spare Michelin tyres
- Tyre repair kit
- Paper map
- A small bottle of engine oil
- Wiper fluid
- Anti-freeze
In addition to these items, it is also helpful to know basic car maintenance and repairs. Car maintenance will keep your car in a healthy state and should help to prevent issues from arising. Knowing basic repairs will also allow you to quickly get back on the road if you encounter any issues without having to call anyone out. This will include tasks such as changing a car tyre, inflating the tyres, refilling fluid levels and changing the engine oil.
Documents
There are also many situations where you might need important paperwork, such as if you get pulled over by the police, you need to repair the vehicle or you get into an accident and need to exchange insurance information. The key documents to keep in your glovebox include:
- License and registration
- Insurance documents
- Owner manual
- Breakdown cover
- Emergency contact information
Essential for a Long Drive
If you have a long drive ahead of you, it is always important that you are well-prepared as you will not want to encounter any issues when you are far from home and/or in the middle of nowhere! You should always check the car over before setting off to make sure that it is in good condition, but there are also a few items that you need to make sure you have before a long drive. These include:
- Extra coat
- Blanket
- Umbrella in case you have to step out of the vehicle
- Emergency food
- Water bottles
- Flashlight
These are all essentials that every motorist should have in the car at all times. Most journeys are uneventful, but it is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to driving so you want to have the key items in your car that will be useful if you break down, get pulled over, get into an accident or encounter any other kind of problem while behind the wheel. Having these essentials will help you to manage the situation, but they will also provide peace of mind knowing that you have everything that you need.