Midas Bredasdorp – “We have a passion for people, service, and all things auto!”
This piece was inspired by a personal experience I had a few years ago when my car suddenly sputtered and died on me while I was driving up a mountain pass with my 3 pre-schoolers. Needless to say, with the mountain ranges surrounding us we were experiencing periodic but fleeting moments of mobile reception.
After franticly jumping around on the side of the road, trying to find a signal, I eventually managed to contact my insurance and a flatbed was dispatched to assist. By this time, the children were hysterical, and I was at my wits end. I am hungry, I am thirsty, I need to go to the bathroom, how long still…
This was when it dawned on me how unprepared I really was for a situation like this, and I was not going to be caught off guard again. I love lists and you can find many extensive lists on the information highway, so I have narrowed them down for you to, 10 Must have emergency essentials for your vehicle before heading out on the road! The size of your vehicle will limit how much you will be able to store, so I have prioritized and tried to be as realistic as possible, starting with, Safety First!
Reflective Triangle
A Reflective Triangle so that your breakdown does not turn into a smash down. This item is very important, especially if you break down on a foggy day or a dark road.
First Aid Kit
Your radiator overheats and you burn yourself with scalding water! Now you are thinking…could this day get any worse? Your first aid kit should contain all your basic emergency items like, disinfectant, bandages, plasters, pain relief and so forth.
Hands-free kit and mobile car charger
As you know it is both dangerous and illegal to use your phone while driving and you do not want to get stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, with a flat mobile phone.
Spare Tire, Tire Jack and Lug Wrench
Imagine the frustration when you find out that your spare tire has gone flat, so always have the pressure tested at your local gas station before heading out on a long road trip. Your spare tire, tire jack and lug wrench go together, certain cars have anti-theft locking lug nuts and require a lug nut key, so make sure you always have them in your car.
Jumper cables
You will notice that I did not put jumper cables at the top of my list, firstly you will need another car to jumpstart you and secondly the chances that they already have jumper cables is quite high. Keep them in the car as a backup anyway.
Flashlight
Being stranded on a quiet dark road can be a terrifying experience, these days you can get really fancy yet inexpensive flashlights, remember if your Flashlight is battery powered keep spare batteries in your car.
Duct Tape
I know what you are thinking, and you are wrong, it is not for the children’s mouths when they grate your last nerve Lol. Duct Tape is so handy when you have a light emergency on your hands, tape on a mirror or secure your bumper, it should hold till you get home.
H2O
Cannot stress this enough, remember the radiator? In our hot South African summer climate, it is of utmost importance that you always have a bottle of water in your car and yes of course let’s not forget about the little people, they get thirsty too
Double check your glove box to make sure you have all relevant documentation in a folder, so you never need to worry about its whereabouts.
You will need:
- Your Owner’s Manual which has important information unique to your vehicle, it comes with your car, so never take it out.
- Car Repair Information as well as your insurance information, these records contain the vehicles history and will help when repairing your vehicle.
- Drivers Licence and Emergency Contact Information.
And last but not least…
Toilet Paper and Wet Wipes
Ever been on a road trip and you forgot the toilet paper and wet wipes? Things could get really messy! Great for mopping up spills, noses or finding a tree, if you know what I mean
Pop in at your local Midas Bredasdorp today, where you will find most of these quality products at the best price, your trusted one stop motor spares and auto accessories shop!
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(There are currently there are over 300 franchised outlets across Southern Africa, including Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.)
