As a driver, keeping yourself and others in your vehicle safe starts with driving defensively. You have to obey the rules of the road and be alert to the possibility that other drivers may behave in ways that you don’t expect.

There are many other unpredictable things that might happen, and you should always try to be ready for anything. It’s a good idea to keep a wide variety of items in your car that you might need in an emergency.

Be Prepared for Unexpected Car Maintenance Problems

Even if you regularly maintain your vehicle, you will probably sometimes encounter unexpected mechanical problems. Are you ready to deal with them?

Here are some ways to prepare for car maintenance emergencies:

• Jumper cables or an emergency battery booster
• Tire pressure gauge
• A spare tire that is in good condition, along with a tire iron and jack
• Tire inflator and sealer

Make sure you have plenty of gas before getting started, particularly if you have to travel more than a very short distance. This is a very important step to take because you never know when you could end up being detoured or ending up off-course.

Keeping Safe and Being Prepared for Any Possibility

If your vehicle should become disabled due to mechanical failure, or if you find yourself in a situation where you are stranded due to a sudden severe storm, you have to be prepared to stay as safe as possible. Items to keep on hand at all times for personal safety include:

• Cell phone and charger
• Flashlight
• Water bottles or emergency water pouches
• Non-perishable food bars, dried fruit or trail mix
• Matches
• An extra change of clothes
• Blanket
• Gloves, boots and warm clothes
• Ice scraper
• Flares so that your car isn’t hit if you are broken down by the side of the road
• A fire extinguisher
• A whistle may be useful if your car ever goes off the side of the road. It will help you to alert others for assistance.

It’s a good idea to carry a first aid kit which includes any medication that you or your family members need to take on a regular basis. It should also include bug spray, Band-Aids, peroxide, alcohol wipes, instant cold packs, gauze and adhesive tape.

Other Items to Keep in the Car

Some incidents that may happen are actually fairly common occurrences such as flat tires or dead batteries. There are other things that could happen that are more out of the ordinary, but it’s a good idea to try to be prepared for them even though there’s a good chance they won’t happen, such as landing in a pond of water or breaking down in a blizzard.

A multi-tool is a useful item that includes many different tools all in one, such as a bottle opener, wire cutters, knife, screwdrivers, files, and pliers. Consider the different multi-tools that would work for you. Keeping one hand can help you to be ready for just about anything.

On rare occasions, you may need a tool that is capable of breaking your windows or cutting your seatbelt. Hopefully, you will never be in a position to actually need to use these tools but it’s a good idea to have them.

When the Unexpected Happens

If you have been in an incident in which the unexpected has already happened, such as being run off the road by another driver, call the experts at Taos Injury Lawyers. Contact us by filling out the form on this page. One of the members from our legal team will get back to you promptly so we can evaluate what happened and let you know how we can help.