As a drive it doesn’t take long to learn that you have to expect the unexpected. Accident happen even when do everything perfectly. One day your car will be working perfectly, and the next you may find yourself on the side of the road with smoke pouring out of the hood. Simply put, there are some things you just can’t control. What you can do, however, is make sure you are prepared should an emergency strike. The motto of the Boy Scouts of America is “be prepared.” Sounds like good advice to us. Let’s put together the perfect roadside emergency kit.

Getting Back on the Road

If you are experiencing only minor car troubles, it may be possible to get back on the road! But you need to have the right equipment to get that done. First, make sure you have an inflated spare tire, a car jack and a wrench. You may want to consider a repair kit for flat tires as well. Next thing to think about is a pair of jumper cables.

Getting Help

In a real emergency you need help. For this reason, almost all emergency road kits should include several flares. In addition, you should have 3-4 collapsible, reflective orange cones to places round the perimeter of your car. These additions to your roadside emergency kit are especially important should you break down at night.

Other Essentials

There are many other essential items that you need to include in your emergency kit. For those of us who live in the desert, extra bottled water is essential. You should also have a multi-tool, first aid kit, blanket, tire gauge, and small fire extinguisher (just in case). You can further customize your kit in any way you see fit for you specific needs, situation, and wants.