Hello, people of the looking glass, we’re crossing a little milestone in the Security Adviser house. Shortly, our youngest daughter’s taking her first solo road trip. So I thought we’d have a look at what kind of things need to be in your car for a successful and safe trip.
Here we go.
Front Seat
First of all, I’ve stuck a couple of things in the door here, which are critically important. You could never have enough pepper spray.
And then because we live in the world of COVID there’s got to be something to sterilize your hands and in the opposite door nice and clear, which says ‘Medic kit’ because when you’re panicking, you need things that guide you.
She’s got a little traveling first aid kit and the kind of things that are important there. Lots of gloves, space blankets, and she’s going on a trip to a game farm and that typically is the time when people like to make fires. So I’ve put a burn shield in there because that’s just the kind of thing that people like to get up to and need when things go awry.
And the next thing I’ve added is a little grab bag. It’s a fashion accessory. I know she’s gonna positively hate it.
But what’s important is that the tools and the gadgets that are put in there for her are things that I know that she can use. There are people that speak volumes about grab bags, and there are all sorts of things that you can put in but there is no point in putting an object in there that is not equal to the person’s skill level.
So keep things in there that you know the person is going to use and obviously it must be easily accessible. So this fits nicely in the cubby hole here. And like I said, it’s not terribly fashionable, but it’ll slink quickly on your shoulders around your wrist and you can get moving and you’ve got everything you need.
So, just to start with, I’ve got an extra little pepper spray because like I say, what the world needs is a lot more pepper spray. We’ve got a good, strong flashlight that goes in here.
I’ve given her a multi-tool, again, I’m not sure if this is something that she’ll use, but you can never go wrong with a good pair of pliers and then some cash. And there’s a reason for that because when you’re going on a road trip, you’re traveling through rural areas and you’re in an emergency you need to get a lift from someone you need to buy some water from someone you need to buy some help and they generally are not gonna have a convenient credit card machine.
So, stash some cash. This is gonna buy you help when you’re in trouble.
I’ve also found a very nice object here which can be used for breaking through windshields. It’s got a seatbelt cutter on it. This particular one has a nice flashy light on it. I added another set of gloves for good measure. And there are all sorts of other things you could add to this if you want to.
It’s probably not a bad idea to put a space blanket in there which you could modify into a poncho if you need it.
And maybe a bandage or two is really just something that you can pick up, open, sling on your shoulder and get out of there. A reflective vest that fits in there is also a good idea.
On the cell phone front, the car’s got a charger and I’ve included a charger cable because that is our primary way of calling for help in an emergency and you want to have a nice full battery.
And then on the actual phone, what is valuable there are a large number of apps available, which enable you to contact people or and track that phone. So without being too big brother ish about it, I can actually just check out where she is. And I can see where last that phone was without having to go into too much emergency gear and requiring emergency services.
Back Seat
Moving to the backseat of the car, I see she’s included the mandatory game of 30 seconds. Now, this is not necessarily an important piece of emergency gear but it is an essential piece of camping and road-tripping gear.
You never know when you might have to stop off and play a game of 30 seconds. But what I’ve added to the mix is under the seat here I’ve got two liters of water.
Amazing how versatile that water bottle can be. You’re stuck on the side of the road you want to keep yourself hydrated, you’ve got water. You need to cool something metallic down, you’ve got water. You need to fill up your radiator or some kind of tank in the vehicle, you’ve got the water.
And you could even cut that water bottle open and use a funnel. Let’s say you need to fill petrol up, to full oil into some part of the car. I’ve also put under the seat a fire extinguisher.
Over the years I’ve seen people’s engines catch on fire and it hasn’t even been for myself. I’ve helped one person whose engine caught on fire and I happen to have that fire extinguisher. It turned out to be quite a handy thing.
Tire Well Area
Obviously, you want to check that you’ve got a nice firm spare tire that’s happened to me that I’ve dealt with flat tires. And you want to have your jack and your spanner and your emergency triangle and all that kind of gear. It must be there.
But if she gets a flat, I don’t want her to stop over on the side of the road and start fighting with that stuff. The longer a single person is on their own on the side of the road, the more vulnerable they are. So I want to get her moving as quickly as possible.
And you get these aerosol devices which allow you to fill the tire up. So you’d simply take the cap off and you could fill up a tire and at least get it reasonably full so you can hobble along to a place where you could get some help. I see all that while I was digging around in here and I guess this is a student car. And I’m not sure if these are part of her emergency equipment. But I really am now seeing the world through a rosy set of spectacles.
But what it really comes down to is fortune favors the prepared. So you want your young person to go off and have an amazing road tripping experience because they’re well equipped and if they need something, it’s there.
Did I forget the headlamp one of the most important things you can help light hands-free? And what about a lighter, because you never know when you’re going to start a fight and the spare mask.
Got anything else to add? Mention it in the comment section below.