How To Equip Your Car

It's just another ordinary day and you're on your way to work. Wham! Your car gets a flat tire and you're on the side of the freeway. You should know what to do when you get a flat, but are you prepared to do it?

You might call for roadside assistance or wait for someone to pull off the road and help you, but if you had an old bath towel and a pair of work gloves in your car, you could handle the situation yourself. The towel will save your knees from dirt and road debris and work gloves will protect your hands while you change the tire. A can of WD-40 will also come in handy if the lug nuts are hard to remove.

There are plenty of things that people keep in their cars, but chances are Burger King wrappers and Big Gulp cups won't be useful in an emergency. And not every situation is an emergency. Being prepared for many of the things that go along with driving and maintaining a vehicle is not only sensible, it can be a matter of simple convenience.

If you're running late and haven't had time to eat, keeping candy or other snack food in your car can take the edge off. When you feel a headache coming on, having some aspirin in your car will save you the effort and expense of stopping to buy it. And while the forecast didn't call for rain, having that compact umbrella on hand when it started to pour might save the day.

An easy way to prepare your car is to get a plastic crate and use it to store the things you want to keep on hand. There are also trunk organizers, available at most auto parts stores, that have pockets and compartments for storage.

The following are items that every car owner should consider having in their vehicle:

· jumper cables (consult your car's owner's manual for proper use)
· fire extinguisher (make sure it's for multiple applications)
· quart of motor oil
· gallon of antifreeze/coolant
· tire pressure gauge
· can of fix-a-flat
· can of WD-40
· sturdy pocket knife
· locking pliers (also know as Vise-Grips)
· adjustable wrench
· large flathead screwdriver
· phillips head screwdriver
· duct tape & electrical tape
· spare electrical fuses
· bungee cords or tie-downs
· rope
· flashlight
· spotlight
· work gloves
· towel
· umbrella
· first aid kit (including a variety of bandages & antibacterial cream)
· aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen tablets
· hand sanitizer
· napkins, facial tissue or paper towels
· wet naps
· candy bars/hard candy (something with sugar for quick energy)
· disposable camera (keep track of its expiration date)
· bottled water
· chewing gum
· two pens & a notepad
· cell phone charger

There's nothing like the sinking feeling of needing something in a pinch and not having it. It is always better to think ahead and be prepared for what may come.