'Better to be safe than sorry’

Ensure that your mind is safely at ease through being fully prepared for anything. This holds true for as far as your car is concerned. In addition to being relied upon for toting around luggage, snacks or your half-empty coffee cups, your car must also be counted on to carry items that can come in handy in case of an emergency. Let's go over them one by one.

1) Escape tool

You may see these emergency ‘escape tools’ in modes of public transportation, and your car needs something like that, too. If you float away in a flood or fall into a reservoir or a waterway in your car, the car door might not open as it could be crushed or the water pressure might make it impossible to open the window. The windshield and windows of your car are coated with films or made of treated glass, rendering them to almost be impossible to break with bare hands.

You might have seen a car wreck before where, unlike ordinary glass, the windshield or a window shatters but does not necessarily break apart. You need to keep an escape tool in your car just in case you need to break the windshield or a window to get out of, in case of emergency.

2) A spare tire and a replacement kit

You do not have to procure a spare tire and a replacement kit as they come with your car as a standard, but you must never remove them even if they do not seem overly necessary. They are usually located under the trunk carpet, and what you need to do as a driver is to keep checking the pressure, wearing of the tire and maintain the usability of the replacement kit.

The spare tire, if its pressure is low due to poor maintenance, might affect steering or greatly impair fuel efficiency. In late fall or in winter when road conditions become worse, failure to maintain the spare tire might lead to a serious accident during critical situations.

It is wise to raise the pressure of the spare tire to a higher level required for regular tires prior to the onset of winter because the pressure can easily drop in cold weather.

3) An extinguisher and a flashlight

An ‘extinguisher’ is a must in order to allow you to respond to a fire that may inadvertently break out in your car or as a result of an accident. Aside from those commonly seen in homes and buildings, spray-type extinguishers are also widely available on the market, which are more convenient and safe to keep stored securely.

A ‘flashlight’ comes in handy whenever you need to look for things in your car or inspect the inside of the engine room. It is also essential in case of nighttime emergencies, so it would be best advised to have one in the trunk or in your glove compartment.


Other emergency items that are helpful to have include spray paint that can be used to mark the position of your car in case of an accident, booster cables, and a trunk organizer. All these can help you quickly respond and adapt to emergencies and prevent things from becoming worse.

Having all these essential emergency items available might seem tedious, but they can save you from big headaches and may even save your life. So don't neglect to carry them at all times.