Having an automobile emergency kit shouldn’t be an afterthought. They don’t have to be super expensive either. You can often use items that you may already have lying around the house. It will surprise you how useful these items become in certain emergency situations. Especially if your vehicle breaks down in the wee hours of the night or worse, in freezing temperatures. These 10 items may be super helpful while you wait on a 24 hour tow truck service to arrive.

The first items to include in a vehicle emergency kit are for all year around. Check around the house to see what you may already have.

It’s critical to check your spare tire and jack to verify their functionality. It is probably one of the most over-looked aspects of owning a vehicle. Even when purchasing a vehicle, make certain it comes with a spare tire and manufacture jack kit. If the vehicle you purchased does not come with one, try calling around to junk yards or auto parts shops and see if they have a jack that will work with your car. Next call tire shops or dealerships to see about getting a temporary tire for your vehicle’s year, make, and model. Having a working spare tire and jack kit in your car will save you money and time in the long run.

If your vehicle breaks down on a poorly lit road at night, it can be very difficult to see your way around. It’s best to have an operable flashlight, especially if it’s your battery doesn’t work and there is no way to turn on the dome lights. Nowadays, most cell phones have a flashlight feature but don’t rely just on that. You know how cell phones can be prone to be low on battery at the time you need it most. For that reason, it’s wise to have a stand-alone flashlight with a few extra batteries in your kit.

Jumper cables will come in handy for certain vehicle problems such as loose vehicle battery cables or a drained battery. It’s best to have a set of jumper cables in your kit just in case an experienced motorist stops to offer a jump. If you’re not familiar with how to operate jumping cables, it’s best to let an experienced person use them. Jumper cables require being affixed to each vehicle’s battery, which is under the hood and can cause shock or harm to the unexperienced.

Having reflective triangles or cones in your vehicle emergency kit is a must have. They can warn oncoming drivers in the event your hazard lights aren’t operational. They serve as a warning to other motorist that your vehicle is stationary near the road and that there is a problem. They will also help the tow truck service easily identify exactly where you are at.

We can’t stress enough the importance of having an up-to-date first aid kit in your vehicle at all times. A good first aid kit will have dressing for minor wounds and medicine to ease the pain. They should have a list of phone numbers, independent of your phone’s contact list. For a comprehensive list of items to include in a an automobile first aid kit, get ideas from wikipedia’s first aid kit article here.

Many vehicle owner’s over look something as simple as having drinking water in their kit, but drinking water can be a life-saving item to prevent dehydration. We should prepare an automobile emergency kit as though it might be awhile before help arrives and having bottled water is a great idea.

They aren’t the most stylish things to wear, but having a reflective vest and rain poncho in your emergency kit is a necessity. Whether it’s dark or pouring rain, you will thank yourself a hundred times over if you’re broken down and need them. Get the high visibility reflective vest so that other motorist will see exactly where you are at all times. A rain poncho will do wonders when you’re changing a flat tire and it’s pouring rain.

As the temperature levels drop and the snow clouds blow over the city of Indianapolis, you should be prepared for the long winter ahead. To remain safe on the roads, and safeguard your family in case of an unanticipated breakdown or accident, JR’s Service and Recovery’s in Indianapolis, IN has added a few more vital items to include in your automobile emergency kit during the cold winter season.

Almost everyone has a mobile phone in the 21st century, but it’s not that unusual for a phone to die unexpectedly. Purchase a portable cellular phone charger from your electronic devices store and keep it charged frequently. In case your vehicle breaks down on the side of the roadway, you may need the extra power to keep communications going. In the event of a dead cell phone battery, you’ll be able to call JR’s Service and Recovery by simply connecting your portable cell phone charger to your phone.

Unfortunately, we can’t always predict when our vehicle may stop working during a blizzard. Play it safe and stock up on foods with high protein, like cereal bars and beef jerky. Depending on the severity of the winter storm, it could be hours before help arrives. It’s best to keep some nutrition in the vehicle especially if you have children on board.

While you’re waiting on the 24-hour emergency towing or roadside assistance service to arrive, it’s an excellent idea to have extra thermal coats and blankets readily available. Especially If you’re going on long-distance trips or must travel in frigid temperatures, keeping thermal clothes and blankets will come in handy if you end up getting stuck in heavy snow for a while.

Knowing what to keep in your automobile at all times will increase your chances of remaining safe all season long. If you’re ever in need of a 24 hour towing service, call JR’s Service and Recovery at 317-629-5646 for all your towing or roadside assistance needs.