What to Carry in Your Car

You never know when you might have a flat tire, a mechanical breakdown, or another roadside emergency. Thinking about emergencies ahead of time makes them much easier to deal with when they occur. Stock your car with the items on this checklist and you’ll be prepared to handle whatever comes along.

1. Cellular telephone. No longer a luxury item reserved for the tycoon set, a cell phone can be as important as a spare tire when you travel by car. Check with AAA for details about their inexpensive emergency cell phone service.

2. Proof of insurance, even if your state doesn’t require it.

3. Automobile registration papers.

4. An accident report guide. You can usually get one of these brief and simple guides from your insurance company or from AAA if you’re a member. They make it much easier to gather complete information at the scene, and are especially helpful if you’re feeling dazed or confused.

5. Warning devices such as flares and matches or reflective triangles.

6. Jumper cables with fully insulated handles.

7. A first aid kit plus any vital prescription medicines (see chapter 1).

8. Flashlight with extra batteries.

9. Water. Carry least a quart each for you and your car.

10. Quick-energy “power” bars, or other packaged food in case you’re stranded. (If you tend to skip meals when in a hurry, these can make a big difference, too. You’ll never get stuck with a growling stomach between errands again!)

11. Paper towels and window cleaning fluid. Driving at night with a smeared windshield (inside or out) can be extremely hazardous.

12. Fire extinguisher. Read the directions so you know how to use it quickly.

13. Fully inflated spare tire. Check it at least every few months.

14. Portable tire pump, plus a jack, lug wrench, and block of wood for emergency changes by the side of the road (when you’ll be glad you have those flares).

15. Aerosol flat fixer. These can be great quick fixes for certain kinds of tire damage.

16. Empty gas can.

17. Tool kit. Carry a small standard toolkit or at least an adjustable wrench, large and small screwdrivers, and pliers.

18. To be ultraprepared, carry an inexpensive instant-picture camera to take “eyewitness” photos in case of an accident. As an alternative, you might keep a disposable camera in the car. However, without immediate results, you won’t know in time if the picture turns out badly.