Road trips are a lot of fun and they often beat visiting a foreign country as a tourist that relies on local public transpiration. It means you can visit whatever you want and whenever you want and make stops when needed as well.
To be prepared for such trips, you’ll need to maintain your car so that it can withstand the trip. This includes maintaining a list of items that you keep in the car at all times and that can easily be used when needed.
A Set of Jumper Cables
In most cases, if you have car trouble it won’t be with the mechanics of the vehicle but with the car battery. That’s why you need to have a set of jumper cables with you and jump-start the car if there’s an issue with the battery.
This will require you to hook up the battery in your car to a source of power – that’s mostly another car that works. You’ll therefore also need to clearly mark the vehicle and safely alert the incoming cars that you need assistance.
A Set of Documents
If you’re stopped by the traffic authorities, you’ll need to provide a set of documents proving that you’re legally allowed to drive in a foreign country. This includes an ID, a national permit, an international permit issued by the International Drivers Association (IDA), and proof of insurance.
It’s best to keep these documents in your glove box and to make sure they are all up to date. An international permit lasts for a year and a national permit expires in five. Keep in mind that you can renew the international permit online but you can’t do the same with your national license while abroad.
Flares and Flashlights
Flares and flashlights are too often overlooked as a part of an emergency kit since they aren’t used to fix anything. However, you can’t signal that you’re having trouble and keep your car and the passenger safe without the flares and that makes them an essential part of the kit.
The same goes for a flashlight without which you wouldn’t be able to make small repairs on your vehicle if it stops and breaks down at night. These simple items don’t require maintenance, which makes them easy to store.
Changing A Tire
A faulty tire is the most common problem you’ll have and one that every driver should know how to fix on their own. You’ll need to have a spare tire and a tire jack as well as a lug wrench. With these items, you can remove and change a tire on your own.
A driver should inspect and if needed rotate a spare tire so that they are always prepared to fix their car in case of emergency. It’s also a good idea to practice changing a tire a few times so that you’re not caught off guard when the time comes to change one on the side of the road.
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