We’re deep into Summer and that means it’s time for some road trips! But just like when I travel by car in the winter, I always prepare the car before I hit the road for Summer travel. A few months ago it snowed in Virginia and a terrible accident closed Interstate 95 in Northern Virginia (below Washington, DC). The road was shut down for over 20 hours. While the news mentioned that people were stuck in their cars for hours, and that many ran out of gas, they didn’t really delve into the disaster–and almost tragedy–that was occurring during those hours when the temperature dropped to 11 degrees F.
Why am I discussing winter storms? Because the same rules apply when traveling during the summer. A blizzard could just as easily be a hurricane or a series of fast-moving tornadoes. You just never know when an accident or the weather will shut down a highway and leave you stranded for hours. I ended up in a terrible winter situation once where I was stranding in a blizzard on a highway overnight. After that event, I promised myself I would never be left without food and water ever again. But weather and accidents aren’t the only things that can go wrong. A sick child or a broken-down vehicle can land you in a dangerous situation. So below I’ve made two lists. The first are maintenance items you may want to consider. The second is a Summer Emergency Car Kit that will give you the tools, should you need them, to get yourself out of trouble or at least off the road to safety.
Summer Car Maintenance
- Check tire pressure
- Check the brakes
- Check the AC and top off refrigerant if necessary
- Test the battery
- Top of oil, windshield wiper cleaner, and other fluids
- Check and replace wipers, if necessary
- Check belts and hoses
- Check and replace filters, if necessary
- Plan ahead if you need to service your car since many car repair shops need a few weeks to order parts and get the work done, especially with all of the supply chain and labor shortages.
- Clean the car, inside and out, since it’s so much nicer to travel in a clean car.
Summer Emergency Car Kit
- Cash. I always take a ton of cash with me. During this recent emergency, by the time people got off the highway the closest gas stations were limiting gas and only accepting cash.
- Caffeine pills ~ These are available in any drug store, but if you’re alone in an emergency they help you stay awake. Depending on how cold it is, and if you have to turn off your car to save gas, you could freeze to death if you fall asleep and don’t keep moving.)
- A case of bottled water
- Granola bars/protein bars/other non-sugary snacks. Also cheese sticks, pudding cups, and mandarin oranges work well.
- Ibuprofen and acetaminophen
- Headlamps
- Flashlight
- Swiss Army knife or something similar
- Lifestraw to filter water you are unsure about drinking
- UV purifying water bottle and/or water purifying pills
- High quality First Aid Kit along with a pair of scissors (if not included)
- Paper maps for your location in case you lose cell service or run out of battery power
- Cell phone battery block with multiple USB slots and a small LED light, as well as the cords to hook up small electronics. This way you don’t need to run the car engine to charge you phone. Fully charge the block before you hit the road.
- Make a connection bag that holds the different types of cords you need for your electronics.
- Emergency weather radio with AM stations. Or a CB radio, if you prefer
- A package of tissues to use as toilet paper
- Consider compact urinals (males and female) in case you need to use the bathroom but can’t leave the car. (I really wish I’d had one of these during my emergency. You can order them from Amazon, Walmart, or any camping supply store and they come in different sizes and models.)
- Extra medications ~ Bring extra if there’s a med you need to take daily. Especially things like insulin, etc.
- Identity documents in a plastic, waterproof bag. While I also have these on a thumb drive, you won’t be able to access them in an emergency from your car. (We will discuss this in the next two weeks of this series). These documents include Driver’s licenses, car registration and insurance information, medical cards for emergencies as well as anything else you might need quickly like prescription refill forms, etc. Don’t forget any licenses for weapons you have in the car.
- Sun protection ~ Sunscreen and a hat in case you have to walk off the highway.
- Solar kit ~ I travel with a 25W solar panel with two USB outlets.
- Fire making kit ~ A small torch light and a regular lighter. Storm proof matches are nice if you know how to use them. Add a few small candles.
- Extra glasses ~ If you can’t see without glasses (for reading or driving), bring an extra pair. Same thing if you wear contacts.
- Duct tape and paracord ~ My husband was in the army and we always have these two things in the car. And we’ve used both of them in emergencies.
- Work gloves ~ to change tires, collect wood, etc.
- Lightweight blanket in case you have to sleep in your car.
- Lightweight raincoat or poncho and an umbrella.
- Small took kit with pliers, scissors, screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches, hose clamps, zip ties, and anything else you can think of.
- Tire sealant and gauge
- Jumper Cables
- Bug Spray
- Plastic trash bags
- Walking shoes in case you need to walk for miles to get off a closed highway.
- Visibility equipment like flares or glow-in-the dark roadsigns to mark your disabled vehicle.
A few other things to consider:
Gas. It’s dangerous to drive around with gas cans in your car. But if you end up in a traffic jam for hours, like the winter Virginia I95 debacle, you’ll need to turn off your car to conserve gas. One thing that helps is never letting your gas tank go below half full. But that also means you’ll need to stop more frequently to get gas, which can be a pain when you’re on a long haul trip. It’s just something to keep in mind. One of the biggest issues when a road reopens is that the lanes are littered with cars that have no gas which makes getting out a more difficult and dangerous proposition.
Personal Protection: This can be a controversial subject. But if you carry a licensed weapon with you, make sure you know the legal requirements in each state you pass through. Some states/cities/localities ban tasers, pepper spray, knives as well as guns. So whatever you have with you, make sure you know the rules for every state you pass through. And, if you have a license for your weapon, keep it with you.
Long, long, long haul car trips: The list above is for a trip that may normally take up to 12 hours. But if you are traveling cross country, you may want to consider packing camping gear, a small fire stove, extra food/MREs, etc. Here is a great article about planning long haul driving trips across different terrain.
Balance: When you are traveling long distances, with many people, and maybe staying someplace for many days, weight and space become a concern. So you’ll have to balance what you need at your destination versus what you need on your trip (or might need). That’s a personal decision you’ll have to figure out on your own after considering your situation such as distance, age of car, number and ages of passengers, etc. But if the goal is to get someplace safely, you may want to consider the above lists. Even just having a First Aid kit and some water will mean the difference between life and death. I am not being hyperbolic, just realistic.
Finally, information is your friend. When you plan out your trip, check the weather as well as the routes. Depending on where you’re driving, you may want to double check the crime rates of areas you’re driving through. Also, you could make a list of high-quality hotels along the route, as well as the locations of hospitals, ERs, police stations, etc. And write down any other critical information you may need if you don’t have access to the internet, due to a national or weather emergency.
Although this is a long list of things to consider, the goal of traveling (hopefully) is to have fun. The great thing about a Summer Emergency Car Kit is that once you build it, you don’t have to do much to maintain it. And switching things out for different seasons (like taking out bug spray and adding mittens) is easy.
I hope you find this list helpful and not stressful. The point it to get prepared and then forget about it because you’ll know that no matter what craziness happens, you and your family will survive. And maybe you’ll be in a position to help others as well.
