Modern cars are extremely reliable but breakdowns still happen, significant traffic jams can occur and a mobile phone can run out of battery. We’re going to let you know how to make your car prepared for just about anything that life can throw at you.

Money

It’s good to have a mixture of coins and some notes in your car. Whether you’ve left the house without your wallet or you’ve arrived at a pay and display car park that only accepts coins, having quick access to cash can make your day easier.

Reflective or a Lighted Red Triangle

Many roads and stretches of motorway no longer have street lighting throughout the night. Breaking down or needing to stop on the hard shoulder has the potential to be dangerous, by putting a reflective triangle a few feet behind your vehicle gives other drivers more of an indication where your car is.

Water & Windscreen Washer Fluid

You won’t realise how important windscreen washer fluid is until you’re driving without it. On a dry day car windscreens can quickly accumulate dirt, sand and if you’re unlucky, bird poo. This may only sound like a minor inconvenience but as visibility becomes increasingly impaired you may find yourself driving like Ace Ventura looking for a safe place to pull over.

Driving anywhere with poor visibility is very dangerous, being on a motorway or dual carriageway without a clear view of what is ahead could quickly result in a serious accident.

Keep a bottle of water and some windscreen washer fluid in the boot of your car.

Bottled Water

Nobody likes to be thirsty. Whether you’re stuck in a severe traffic jam, have broken down or are just far away from shops and feel like you need a drink, having access to bottled water can make your day far more comfortable.

Chewing Gum/Mints

On way to an important meeting with a potentially big client and remembering that you’ve just eaten a packet of cheese & onion crisps. Having some chewing gum or mints can eradicate this and similar situations.

Phone Charger

The panic of seeing that only 10% battery is remaining when miles away from home. Running out of battery can range from being mildly inconvenient to crucial depending on the circumstances.

Buying an in car mobile phone charger and leaving it in your glove box or boot can really help should your battery be low or gone completely when you need to make an important call.

Jumper Cables, Spare Tyre, Jack

Just make sure you know what you’re doing before ‘having a go’ at changing a tyre!

Ice Scraper

I’m always shocked when I see someone who has a vehicle covered in ice with no access to an ice scraper. Widely available with prices from £1-2, leave one in your boot if there isn’t one there already.

Pen & Paper

Whether you’re on the phone and need to jot down the time of a meeting or have scraped a parked car and need to leave a note, having a pen and some paper in your car can be very handy.

Umbrella

Nobody likes to get wet!

Blankets and Warm Clothing

It’s unlikely to happen but spending the night in your car can be pretty uncomfortable, particularly during the winter months. Even spending time in your car waiting for the breakdown services to appear is no picnic when it’s cold. Make sure you have some blankets and warm clothing in your car to make it a little bit more bearable should it happen to you.

First Aid Kit

A first aid kit in your boot may never be used but can be very useful to have should it be needed.