Most of us never think about it but the ugly truth is that vehicles do breakdown at the most inconvenient places and times.   While most breakdowns won’t leave you stranded there’s a definite chance that they’ll leave you feeling shaken and disoriented.  Before you leave your garage no matter where you are you’re heading to make sure you are prepared for whatever.

First Aid Kit

This one is a given. Whether you scrape your knee changing a tire or slice a finger when you’re en-route to a wedding, DIY medical treatment is better than none at all.

Blanket

A thin, wool blanket might seem like it’s just sucking valuable trunk space, but the truth is temperatures dip significantly at night. Once your battery goes, you won’t have heat at the touch of the button, which is when a blanket begins to look especially appealing. If you are forced to spend a night out in the wild you can spread the blanket on the ground to serve as a barrier between your body and the hot surface.

Torch

Get yourself one of those new solar-powered torches that charge easily and are very reliable. They’re compact, strong and prove incredibly useful, when you need to rifle through your trunk in the dark. Always keep the flashlight easily accessible in your glove box.

Spare tire

If you’re going on a trip away from civilization, buy a spare. Then learn how to change it. Seriously, you can YouTube or Google it.

Tire repair kit

If your car actually did come with a spare, consider yourself lucky if you don’t pick up flat tire sealant in a can. If you run over a nail or are slowly losing air pressure, this will do the trick until you can make it into the garage without the hassle of changing that tire.

Water

Pop a few bottles in your kit you will never know when you need them. While the human body can go for quite some time without food, water is a daily necessity. If you can, pack a stainless steel bottle for filling up from a stream or melting snow.

Map

When your GPS is off and your phone is dead the next best thing is a paper map. Any map should suffice unless you’re planning a trip beyond the border. And if you’re planning to venture into remote regions, buy a topographical chart for the region you’re visiting. It will help you navigate to a populated area, since commercial maps are inadequately detailed.

Box of matches

With a box of matches, you can create some warmth if you’re seriously stranded in cold weather.

Power bank

These days, most of us don’t climb into our car without a charger, thanks to the ever-dwindling power of a smart phone. This is a good thing; it means that you’ll have battery to make an emergency call if needed. For the overachievers out there, it’s worth your while to also slip fully charged power bank into your kit, which will provide extra energy for your phone even if the car’s battery goes out.

Marker and paper

In the case of an accident, a simple pen and notepad kept in your car console can be invaluable. Or, if you’re vehicle has broken down and you’re going to make the trek toward the nearest main road you’ll want to leave a note saying which direction you’ve gone and by which time you plan to return if unable to find help.

Jumper cables

Include a set of jumper cables in your trunk, for you or another driver that might need your help. Then learn how to use them. Go ahead and Google “how to jump start a car video” now.