What
items should be in your trunk or glove box?
While all of us may need roadside assistance
at one time on another, a little advanced
planning can help minimize the aggravation.
Below is a checklist of items that you should
carry in your glove box or trunk for emergencies.
Glove Box:
Owner's manual
Insurance card
Vehicle Registration
AAA (or other roadside assistance provider)
phone number and account number
General Items
for the trunk:
Spare tire - Don't forget to make sure it
is properly inflate the next time you stop
for gas!
Tire jack and tire iron
Tire Pressure Gauge
Battery Operated Air Pump
Flat Board
Cat Litter
Blankets
Bottled water
Jumper cables
Flashlight and spare Batteries
First Aid Kit
Fire Extinguisher
Basic Tool Kit
Some of the most common
reasons for roadside assistance are:
Out of gas:
Can't help you here. Unless you are
traveling long distances in a remote area,
carrying cans of gasoline in your trunk is
not advised.
Flat tires: Frequently
this is something you can fix yourself. Pull
well off the side of the road to a flat surface.
Make sure the vehicle remains in gear. Be
sure the spare has air before you start. The
spare on most vehicles is designed only to
get you to someone who can fix or replace
the damaged tire! As soon as you are
back on the road, head for a service center.
Dead battery: Jumper cables will help you rejuvenate
a dead battery, but remember; batteries don't
go dead by themselves. Check your owner's
manual before attempting to jump-start a battery.
Look for obvious causes - broken fan belt
or lights left on. Once the battery is charged
- this will take five to ten minutes - head
for the nearest service center and have the
root cause fixed!
Failure to start: If the vehicle
has gas and a strong battery, best leave this
one to the professionals.
Keys locked in the car or lost: This one is easy to fix.For less
than $5 you can buy a magnetic key holder
that affixes to the underside of the vehicle,
usually in a wheel well, and it holds a spare
key for your doors and ignition. But his only
works if you do it before
you need it!
