What You Should Always Keep In Your Car

When you first get a car, you don’t often think about what you need to keep in it. Truthfully, everyone usually thinks about the freedom and independence that a car offers over what you should keep in it. First-time drivers are generally guilty of this, and that can mean that they are unprepared. There are usually about four concerning areas. Those are ‘Maintenance and Repair’, ‘Safety’, ‘Comfort and Convenience’ and ‘Insurance and Legal Documents’. Having something from each of these topics can be incredibly useful, and here is how:

Maintenance and Repair

A common problem that people run into is a flat tyre. That is why it is crucial that you have both a spare tyre and a car jack. A flat tyre is a pain, but you can quickly replace it if you have the right tools. A jack without a tyre is as useless as a tyre without a jack. You can’t use one without the other. But having these means avoiding a possibly expensive call out, and you can replace the tyre yourself and drive to a tyre shop. (source).

Having a jack and a spare tyre in the car may seem like an obvious statement, but keep the car manual in the glove compartment. You never know when you may need to use it. Cars have many elements to them. You can hardly read the manual once and know everything there is to know about your vehicle. The manual will give you back up if you ever need to know something about your car. (source).

A tool kit is always handy to have, and no, we do not mean a comprehensive one. We suggest a small one with the basics in it just in case you do a breakdown. Obviously, in the case of an emergency, we recommend that you call for help from your breakdown cover or something similar. However, a toolkit will come in handy for something small and that you believe that you can fix. (source).

Safety

Some safety equipment is covered in the highway code as recommendations to have in case of an accident or a breakdown. For example, having a warning triangle and high-vi jackets are definitely in the highway code. The warning triangle can warn approaching drivers that your car is broken down and prepare them to overtake safely. The high-vi is in case you need to leave your vehicle. These tools will ensure that you are seen and can avoid cars hitting you because of poor visibility. (source).

Clothing wise, the highway code advises three things to have in the car: A warm jacket, boots and sunglasses. They may seem self-explanatory, but let’s explain anyway. If you have a breakdown in winter or at night, it is going to be cold. With no way of telling when help will arrive, you need a warm jacket to stay warm and wait for recovery. The boots, well, there is no guarantee that the breakdown will occur on an excellent highway. You do not know what terrain you will have to go through to get your car to safety or even push your car to one side. Sunglasses, well, the sun can be blinding when it is low in the sky, and this can mean that you don’t see a potential hazard when it is approaching. Sunglasses can offer you some protection. (source).

A first-aid kit should go without questioning. We hope you never live one, but you never know when you will be in an accident or, perhaps more importantly, when you are going to come across an accident. It happens, and what is in that first ad kit can help minimise blood loss and injury until help arrives. Trust me; first-aid kits are worth their weight in gold. (source).

Comfort and Convenience

For those who feel the cold more than others do, a pair of gloves and a blanket are essential. Or even just to use in emergencies. Having a blanket and some gloves could mean the difference between staying warm and freezing. Having these in your car will definitely improve comfort. (source).

Having some change in the car is something that many experienced drivers have. Most car parks you have to pay for and never know how you will come across a toll route. Having some money in the car can mean that worrying about toll routes and parking fees are a thing of the past. Besides, do you really want to have change cluttering up your purse or wallet? (source).

Insurance and Legal Documents

There is no legal requirement to carry any document in your car anymore. Thanks to the internet, we can quickly access these documents from anywhere. It is just more convenient to have copies of it in the car in case anything happens. Maybe we live in the digital age, but having a pen and paper coil is always helpful. You never know when you will need to take notes. (source).

These are only a few hints and tips about what you should always carry in your car. Being a first-time driver is all about learning, but these tips will help you prevent learning the hard way. Your Next Car is a leading platform for car sales, and we can help you find the perfect first car. To find out more, check out our website on https://your-next-car.com/, email us at success@your-next-car.com, or give us a call on 020 3399 8060