Road Ready: 5 Essential Things to Keep in Your Car

by

18 March 2019

Automotive

things to keep in your car

At times, there’s nothing quite like hitting the open road and traveling.

However, the open road isn’t all candy and roses. In fact, when things go wrong, the open road can be a truly cruel mistress.

For this reason, you need to keep a few key items in your vehicle at all times. Wondering what these items are? Here are 5 essential things to keep in your car at all times.

5 Things to Keep in Your Car:

There is no shortage of things you should keep in your vehicle. However, the 5 items discussed below are absolute car necessities.

1. Jumper Cables:

Car batteries can be tricky. While they’re usually fairly reliable, they can give out at just a moment’s notice. For this reason, it’s vital that you always have jumper cables in your vehicle.

While old-school jumper cables can get the job done, you might want to consider buying a jump starter kit. A kit can give your vehicle a jump without the use of a fellow vehicle.

2. Jack:

It’s impossible to know when you’re going to run over something sharp. Even the slightest point can put a puncture in your tire, requiring that you change it immediately.

Because of this, it’s important that you always have a car jack in your car. Find the best floor jack possible now.

3. Flashlight:

You never know where or when your car might break down. It could be in your driveway, but it could also be in the middle of a strange parking lot. It could be during the day, but it could also be during the night.

This is why you’ll want to keep a flashlight in your vehicle at all times. Should you ever experience a breakdown in the dead of night, your flashlight will truly come in handy.

4. First Aid Kit:

Every time you get onto the road, you run the risk of getting into an accident. This is just the reality of driving a vehicle amongst other vehicles.

Should you injure yourself during an accident, you’ll want to be able to patch yourself up quickly. This is why a first aid kit is one of many emergency items to keep in your car.

5. Charger:

In this day and age, a smartphone is an absolute necessity. This is particularly true if you’re driving in your car. After all, you never know when you might have to call up the police, an ambulance, or a tow truck.

Of course, phones die. This is why you need to keep a phone charger in your vehicle. Should your battery get low, you’ll be able to power it up in no time.

In Search of More Life Hacks? 

Truthfully, there are far more than 5 things to keep in your car. However, if you, at the very least, have the 5 things reviewed above, you should be able to get yourself out of any potential jam.

In search of more useful life hacks? If so, Content Rally has you covered. Our website contains life hacks on everything from travel to entertainment to technology and more.

Browse some more of our articles now!

Read Also:

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Car Battery Maintenance

Car Battery Maintenance 101

Here’s a fact to get the ball rolling; Did you know? Majority of car breakdowns are due to a simple battery failure. Car Battery Maintenance can reduce the chances of your car breaking down. That’s right! Batteries, an invention of the 1800s still very much useful today. Power windows, music system, headlights, auxiliaries and what not, car batteries are an essential part of an automobile. A car battery has a limited lifespan, a well-maintained car battery should last you around 3-5 years, But many find that they have to replace their car battery every 1 to 2 years. A poorly maintained battery loses its capacity to hold a charge and eventually fails. So, if you want to avoid the inconvenience of an unexpected breakdown simultaneously ensuring a prolonged battery life, we are here with 5 simple tips on car battery maintenance. 1. Always keep the battery terminals corrosion-free: One of the most recurrent problems with battery is corrosion build-up on the negative and positive terminals. Corrosion acts as a barrier between the battery and the vehicle thereby breaking the connection. A simple fix for this can be a light scrubbing with an abrasive pad to dislodge the crud build-up from the terminals. Car battery maintenance can minimize the chances of corrosion. Top Tip: add a dab of vaseline to the terminals to prevent further corrosion 2. Do not operate any electronics during startup: When the engine is running,  the car alternator generates electricity and charges the car battery, but when the engine is off, the car relies on battery power only. So, it is important to limit the use of any electronics just before or while starting the car to avoid unnecessary load on the battery. Top Tip: switch off the AC and the music system before cranking the car to avoid damage to the battery. 3. Full charge your car battery at least once every month: Did you know? Your car draws power from the battery even when the car is off. This is required for the anti-theft system to function. Make a habit of charging your car battery every month or two to avoid a dead battery situation. This will also help the battery maintain a healthy charge density and prolong its life. Invest in a good battery charger for your vehicle if you don't wish to visit a garage every month. 4. Check your car’s alternator for car battery maintenance: An Alternator is a very crucial component responsible for charging the car battery when the engine is running. So, it becomes very important to ensure a functional alternator for a healthy battery life. Get the alternator checked every time you visit a garage. Telltale signs of a failing alternator include; battery warning light on the dashboard, flickering headlights, engine cranking issues, and other electronic failures. 5. Do not overload your car battery with accessories: Auxiliary fog lamps, high power music system, novelty lighting. These are all power hungry accessories draining the life out of your car battery. Every car battery has a load limit and can take only much before failing. Car battery maintenance can make your car move faster. So, go easy with those fancy lights you’ve just bought off Amazon, and check if your battery is capable of taking the increased loads. Bonus Tip: Always top-up car battery with distilled water ONLY: In this day and age of “No-Maintenance” batteries, you don’t have to periodically refill the batteries with water anymore. But still, all car batteries require a specific level of distilled water to function optimally. Distilled water is required for the proper flow of electricity in the battery. Using normal tap water which contains metal ions can permanently damage the electrodes causing a degradation in charging capacity of a battery. Low water level can damage the cells inside the battery causing a failure. Visit your nearest hardware store for a litre of distilled battery water. Read Also: Car Insurance For Electric Vehicles Explained Important Tips To Maintain Your Luxury Car

READ MOREDetails
Truck Accidents

Truck Accidents: Determining Fault By Location Of Damage

We are living in an era where everyone is fond of progression and advancement, and technology. With the help of technology, companies are getting advanced in creating products like never before. On the other hand, with the development of the population on your planet, the increasing demand is also getting higher than ever. You never know what you are going to see after ten years! Companies are fond of profit, and thus they are creating vehicles and other products to serve the needs of people. Industries are in need of more supplies, and the heavy trucks are meeting their needs. Truck accidents are common these days because the number of vehicles on the road is increasing rapidly. But we cannot say that it is the only valuable reason behind the increasing number of truck accidents. Almost 31% of truck accidents have increased in the last ten years. There are several reasons for a truck accident, and if you are injured in a truck accident, you need to consider the location of the damages to determine the faults in your case. In such cases, you need expert assistance, and for that, you can Click Here. Why Is Determining The Truck Accident's Fault Important? Truck accidents are not like other normal vehicle accidents, and especially the consequences are not the same. Think about an 18-wheeler hitting a private car directly! What is the chance of people inside the car being alive after the accident? It seems rude, but it's the truth, and you have to acknowledge that there is nothing more dangerous than an uncontrolled car on the road. If you face this kind of accident in the future or your loved ones, do you know what you will do after that? The aim of this article is to consider the faults of a truck accident to advance your understanding of such cases. We all know that you cannot handle such a case on your own, but if you face such a situation, this article is going to help you rely on things that will be workable for you at the moment. Well, determining the faults in a truck accident is very necessary because it is the only process to strengthen your case. Accident cases are related to law and courts, and thus you need to be aware of such things. If you are not able to find the fault in an accident case, you will not be able to consider any kind of advantage on your side of the case. The court only trusts the true evidence and gathering suitable evidence to show the actual faults is the key to survival in such cases. Let's understand who can be liable for a truck accident, and their faults are the reasons behind any truck accident. Truck drivers are liable for their unethical driving and influenced driving without maintaining the road rules.The Trucking Company can also seem to be faulty in case of low maintenance and hiring unqualified drivers.The Truck Manufacturers are responsible for serving defective parts, which can lead to severe accidents.The Maintenance Company keeps a truck safe on the track, and if they seem faulty, the vehicle might not give the performance they need to save from an accident.The Loading Company is liable for the overloading purposes, and that might lead to major accidents on the road. This is why you have to focus on the fault gathering process, and the location of damage can be an area of search for you. Can The Location Of Damage Determine Faults? The location of damage and its particular impacts can say a lot about the accident. If you want to collect the faults, you have to consider the location of damage as a particular section of the investigation. You will see that even police also go to the location and carry out the investigation process to collect the damages that have occurred so far. There are various ways to determine the faults by the location of the damage. For instance, you can consider the visual evidence to understand the process of the accident and how it has happened so far. On the other hand, if a truck hits a car, you will see damage to those vehicles. The location of damages can say a lot of things. For instance, if the car hits from the front, you will damage the front area. In such cases, the damage tells the entire story. In many cases, the vehicle damage can help you to sense things in which the accident could not have happened. Well, that will not directly help you to understand whose fault it was, but you can fight out the possible ways to cause the accident, and that's a good starting point. When Does Damage Not Prove Faults? Instead of the effectiveness of the location of damage, there are some instances where you will not be able to find the exact faults through the damages. For instance, if the person on the left side gets injured and the truck driver is injured from the front, you will not be able to handle the faults in particular. It might happen that the truck driver did not maintain the red light and hit you from the left side. In contrast, you might not have maintained the road rules and turned right in front of the truck. So it's never sure! How To Document Damage? Documenting the location of the damage is very crucial to identify the faults, and you can do this by taking photos and videos. There is nothing better than visual evidence. Try to consider the visual evidence by capturing damaged areas of trucks and vehicles. The police only have the luxury of seeing the accident scene at first, and thus they collect valuable evidence. In that case, you might go to the police and also to the vehicle repair center to understand the damages. Build Your Case! It's your case, but you are not alone! You can hire a professional lawyer for truck accidents to ensure the actual faults. Moreover, they can go beyond your boundaries to locate the damages and compare things to add sequences to come to a decision. Read Also: 5 COMMON CAUSES OF MISSOURI TRUCK ACCIDENTS7 Ways Truck Accidents Differ from the Regular Car Crashes10 Tips to Prevent Truck Accidents: The Complete Guide for Truck Drivers

READ MOREDetails
Load Restraining

Tie Downs: Are They Effective at Load Restraining?

Unrestrained loads are one of the biggest causes of accidents on our roads today. This is why ensuring your load is safely secured is paramount before embarking on a journey. Forget the short cuts: A thorough job –with the right equipment—is crucial if you expect to reach your destination with your cargo intact. But what can you use to secure your load? There are many options at your disposal from nets to corner plates. However, we believe straps—ratchet tie downs in particular—are extremely effective at securing loads. We’ll outline all you need to know about these units including the different types so you’re prepared for your next journey. Why Bother With Tie Downs For Effective Load Restraining? Is this a priority? Maybe the following scenarios resulting from not utilizing them will shed some light as to their importance: Accidents: It may cause trucks to overturn because of the unbalanced weight distribution of the load in question. Damage to property: This includes either damage to your vehicle as well as the cargo being transported. Loss of lives: Injuries are likely to occur when these kinds of accidents happen. In worst case scenarios, it can lead to loss of lives whether it’s yourself, other motorists or pedestrians in the vicinity. Types of Tie Downs The one you pick will depend on the gear and load you’re hauling. However, these are the five most common types. Ratchet Tie Down Straps:   These are by far the most popular among most fleet owners. We suppose the fact that they’re deemed the most secure way to tie down heavy loads has something to do with it. They are known to provide the most strength and security, especially for the larger loads. Just make sure you check the load rating of the straps before you use them on something heavy. Plus they’re quite versatile as load restraints in many scenarios: You can use them either on the trailer, roof rack or bed of your truck. The downside to using this type is they’ll probably take you some time to figure out how they work. Note that given the nature of the hardware, we can’t entirely eliminate the risk of them damaging your load in transit. But for their effective performance, we think they are worth trying out. Lashing Straps: If you find the cost of the ratchet straps too steep, you can opt for the lashing straps. Not only are they less expensive options but you’ll appreciate that they’re easy to use. They’re the ideal pick for the lighter loads such as securing surfboards or plastic cargo bins. Two things you don’t have to worry about are these lashing straps crushing or damaging your cargo. Bungee Cords: One thing you’ll appreciate about this type is the versatility. You can use it to wrap cargo of all types and sizes. However, you can only use them to secure very lightweight items such as plastic items. Nylon Ropes: This is also another inexpensive option. The trick lies in mastering how to tie more than a couple of knots. You can consider learning the power hitch: The good thing about this knot is you can use it in almost every situation. Stratchits: Last but definitely not least on our list are Stratchits. These are by far the easiest tie downs to use when securing your cargo. Also, you get the best of both worlds: The strength and user-friendliness associated with lashing straps plus the versatility that comes with bungee cords. Another thing is they are adjustable: They can be adjusted from anything between 22” to 63”. Have any chairs or bicycles you want to transport? You can consider these and they’ll work just fine. What Determines the Number of Tie Downs You Use? When dealing with tie downs it’s important to note just how many to use to effectively secure your load. It’s really not about how many you can find just before embarking your trip: There are rules involved. Generally, the number will depend on the length and weight of cargo you’re transporting as stated below. When to Use One Tie Down It’s very possible to use only one tie down but only when your cargo is: Shorter than 5ft Weighs less than 1100lb When to Use Two Tie Downs Two tie downs can be used in the following scenarios: Cargo is 5ft or shorter and weighs more than 1100lb If it’s longer than 5ft but definitely not longer than 10ft When to Use Four Tie Downs You can use a minimum of four tie downs if your cargo is heavier than 10000lb. Additional tie downs can be used if your cargo is at least 10ft or longer. It’s strongly advisable to add one tie down for every additional 10ft just for reinforcement. Regardless of the number of tie downs you use, it’s in your best interests to always check the number of tie downs you need before carrying your load. Not only that but are they in a satisfactory condition? Always make sure of that for optimum performance. Final Words It’s pretty clear: Tie downs are pretty effective at securing loads. You just have to pick what matches your vehicle, load and not forgetting your budget. The most important thing is that you invest in one to avoid any unnecessary accidents. Your decisions determine whether you stay in control during your journey. Read Also: 4 Things You Need To Know About Commercial Truck Insurance Why You Need To Choose High-Quality Spare Parts For Your Truck

READ MOREDetails