We spend so much time in our cars throughout the day that it’s important to think about what items to bring along with us. There are your fundamental items like your driver’s license, car registration, and your insurance information. There’s also an insurance binder in case you just bought a new vehicle and don’t have the insurance information yet.
This set of information will let the authorities know that you have proof of insurance. You should also have other emergency items like a flashlight and your spare tire. Hygiene products like wet wipes and hand sanitizer aren’t a bad idea in this pandemic, either.
We’ll talk about all of these items and more so that you never leave the house unprepared.
Table of Contents
#1 – Snacks
There are some qualifiers when we talk about keeping snacks in your car. You need to make sure they are food items that don’t perish easily. Refrigerated goods are out, obviously. Fruits and vegetables are going to go bad too quickly to keep them in the car. These snacks should be things with code dates that reach far out.
Nuts like cashews, almonds, and walnuts are all great ideas here. Granola bars are in this same category. The reason it’s important to keep these snacks in the vehicle is because you never know when you are going to be broken down on the side of the road. If it takes hours to resolve an issue, you need a snack to maintain a healthy diet.
Kids are also going to want food if they are in the car during these situations. It’s important to keep your kids fed with a nutritious snack, and they won’t bother you about their hunger on a long road trip. Whether you are thinking about circumnavigating the world, or just going to Grandma’s house, snacks should be an essential part of car trips.
#2 – Insurance Information
It is vital that you always keep your insurance information in your car while driving. This is because it is a legal requirement in most states to have your car insured. This protects drivers against damage to their car, and medical expenses after an accident. It’s for your own good to have insurance, and there could be consequences if you don’t.
If you get into an accident without insurance, you will be on the hook for paying the expenses out of pocket. This could lead to horrible financial fallout that could ruin your life. Shop for the best rates for your vehicle, keep good driving habits, and always put the proof of insurance in a safe place in your car.
Some good options for the proof of insurance or insurance binder are the glove box or the trunk. Keep it with your registration so that everything is in one place if you get pulled over by the police. Don’t take it out of your car after you put it in, otherwise, you’d have to remember to always bring it with you.
#3 – Emergency Supplies
You need to keep several emergency supplies in your car just in case anything goes wrong on the road. A first aid kit is good, but if you can’t manage to buy one you can bring some bandages. Kids are always scratching themselves or their siblings. You may not need to think about first aid supplies as much without kids in your family.
Every car has a spare tire. You need to talk to someone about learning how to install the spare tire in case you have a flat. Don’t be embarrassed if nobody ever showed you, as it’s never too late to learn. Most cars have a spare tire in the back of the trunk.
A garage door opener and a spare key to the house are not absolutely necessary, but they could be very helpful. The garage door opener is great if you’ve ever lost the key, and the key is important if you don’t have an opener.
A map has become kind of obsolete since smartphones with GPS took over, but it’s never a bad thing to have one in your car. If the battery on your phone dies, you’ll still have a way to figure out where you are.
Flashlights are another great emergency supply. If you need to look at something wrong with your car after dark, your flashlight will be there for you. Your smartphone also has a flashlight, but once again you never know about your battery.
#4 – Blankets and Spare Clothing
This could go under the emergency supplies header, but blankets and clothing in your car are important enough to discuss on their own here. You always need a way to stay warm if you are stranded on the highway in the middle of the night.
This is especially important if you are taking a road trip across a mountain pass or another snowy area. Put the blankets in the trunk of the car to keep them out of the way the rest of the time. You may not have room for extra clothing, so save that idea only for long road trips.
#5 – Card Games
Kids are going to get bored easily whether you are taking a five-minute ride or a five-hour trip. You should always keep non-electronic games in the car at all times just in case they get bored. Video games are a good option if you know you are going to be away for a while, but they can’t be kept in the car at all times like cards.
The elements like the sun will melt the screen of electronics if you keep them in the car on a hot day. If you think it’s okay in the winter, keep the technology out of sight. Having video games and other devices in plain sight will invite thieves to break into your car. Insurance companies will typically not cover stolen items that are not part of the car.
#6 – Hygiene Products
You don’t necessarily have to keep hygiene products in the car at all times, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. If you eat in the car often, it’s a great idea to have some wet wipes. Whether you are eating alone, or you have your kids with you, cleaning up is a necessity so you don’t ruin the interior of your car.
To make it easy to remember what you should bring in the car and keep, don’t bring anything that could be ruined by the elements. Don’t bring perishables, and keep all of your pertinent information available in the glove box. If you go by these suggestions, you should be ready for anything on the highway.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the insurance site, Clearsurance.com. He wants to help drivers understand what is important to keep in their cars for a more productive trip.