Good Old Murphy and his infamous law; what can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the most inconvenient time. A blowout, breakdowns, running out of gas, and dead batteries; car trouble is unpredictable, and can strike at any time. It doesn’t have to be a full blown catastrophe if you take some steps to prepare yourself with a DIY emergency road kit. You should always keep an emergency road kit in your trunk and be prepared for multiple situations; you never know when or what time of year you’ll find yourself stuck or need of help. You can find AAA emergency kits in all different sizes and sold at most AAA travel branches, Target, and online.
If you’re going to buy a premade kit, it’s a good idea to add a few extra items that are specific to your car and family’s needs like the list below.
- Charged Cell-phone – You’ll probably already have this on you, but make sure it’s charged before you leave the house or you have a portable battery charging kit and power adapter .
- Tire Changing tools -a jack, lug, wrench, flat board, and wheel chock. These items are typically included with most cars and located with your spare tire, but double check before you assume it’s there (especially if you bought a used car). If you bought your tires from Osceola Garage, don’t forget, we’ll fix any flats for the life of the tires. If you’re keeping up with your car’s regular maintenance at our car care center, you’ve also got our Free 24 hour Roadside Assistance.
- First Aid Kit – here is one instance where you’ll want a fully stocked first aid kit that includes gloves, family specific medicine (think epi-pen, inhaler, etc), cool packs, reflective heating blanket, and a variety of band-aids.
- 3 (Three) Reflective warning triangles – these reflective orange triangles will help increase your disabled car’s visibility and a reflective vest for you is especially helpful if you’re changing a tire at night.
- Jumper Cables – We’ve all been there, you left the headlights on, or your kids left the interior lights on. Sometimes your car just needs a little jolt to get going again, but don’t assume the Good Samaritan giving you a jump, is going to have cables. Always carry your own set.
- Flashlight with Extra Batteries – If you’re stranded at night with no street lights, you’ll need some extra light to change the tire or check under the hood. If you have to walk somewhere a flashlight can help make you more visible to passing traffic.
- Blanket – A blanket can be a life saver. It will keep you warm. It will brave the elements, and you can even use it for the ground, in case you need to get under your car.
The items above are the most critical, but a survival bag that includes a rain poncho, drinking water, non-perishable snacks, blanket, and a crank radio all in a waterproof bag for quick convenience is also a good idea. These emergency kits are truly for the worst imaginable scenario. The truth is, we never know when or where we’ll break down, and by packing some essentials you can keep your family fed, comfortable, and warm and be prepared for most situations. If you’re an Osceola Garage customer, then you also have the peace of mind of knowing you’re protected by our complimentary free roadside assistance which includes, 24 hour emergency towing service, 24 hour emergency road service, and we’ll cover you nationwide.
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