Driving in Canada can be tricky, especially during seasonal changes. Canadian drivers are subject to rain, snow, hail, fog, and many other unpredictable weather occurrences. Make sure that you have these 10 items in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
- A battery powered cell phone charger
Who hasn’t had an experience where their car died with 10% battery life? Avoid worrying about how you’re going to call assistance and have a battery-powered charger.
- A spare tire
Even if you don’t know how to change a tire yourself, roadside assistance usually won’t have tires that fit in with the specifications of your car. Make sure that you have a spare tire at all times, and periodically check on it to ensure that it’s not losing air.
- Booster cables
Forget the lights on in your car all night? Not a problem, if you have booster cables. Booster cables can save you a towing fee, and they’re inexpensive to purchase. You can find them at your local hardware store.
- Your paperwork
Keep items like your insurance policy and registration in your vehicle at all times, and make sure they are in an easily accessible spot.
- Duct tape
Duct tape can temporarily fix almost anything, and that includes parts of your car. Get in a fender bender that caused your license plate to fall off? Tape it with duct tape until you can visit your mechanic to get your vehicle serviced.
- Tire repair kit
If you notice that your tire is getting flat, a tire repair kit can temporarily fix the damage so that you can get to a service station. If your tire is completely flat, don’t drive with it. It will cause multiple tires to become misaligned and you may have to replace more than one.
- Flashlight
If your car dies on the road at night, you’re not going to want to waste valuable cell phone power by using the light from your phone. Have a small flashlight in your glove compartment. It works perfectly not just for emergency situations, but also for those times when you drop something under the seat that you’re having trouble finding.
- Small change
Having small bills available can be a huge help when dealing with a mechanic or a towing company, just in case they don’t accept credit cards.
- Batteries
If you have a portable charger of any kind in your car, it’s good to have backup batteries in case of an emergency. Store your batteries with your portable charger for easy access in the event of an emergency.
- An old cellphone, fully charged
In case of an emergency where your phone is dead or you don’t have a portable charger, keep an old cell phone in your glove compartment. Even without a plan, most cell phones will allow you to dial emergency numbers.
Hopefully, you’ll never have to use any of these items while on the road, but it’s crucial to be prepared. Getting on the road with these items will increase your driving confidence, and keep you prepared in the event of any emergency situation. Having the proper items will also save you repair costs in the long run, which could decrease your insurance premiums.
