subject: Always Keep An Emergency Breakdown Kit In Your Car [print this page] Even if your car is new and has a prefect service history, you should still always stay protected by investing in a good quality emergency breakdown kit. The last thing you would want is for your car to unexpectedly breakdown in the middle of the road and not even be able to pull over to the roadside. You can buy ready-made car kits online, or you could build yours up from scratch.
The first thing that you should include in your emergency breakdown kit is a high visibility vest. You may feel silly wearing one, but if you have broken down in the night and are by your car at the roadside, having a high-vis vest on will make you noticeable to passing motorists, reducing the risk of a road accident.
The next thing in your kit should be a pair of jump leads, which could make the difference between calling out the AA and getting home on your own. If your car battery is flat youll need to jump start it, so if you can collar the help of a passing car driver or call on a friend youll be able to connect your batteries up thanks to the jump leads.
A punctured tyre can not only be a nuisance but quite dangerous, especially if you drive home on it. If you continue to drive on a flat tyre you will be a danger to yourself and other road users. You can buy car tyre inflators that can pump your tyre up enough to get you home or to a safe place, but if your tyre is damaged then you should get a new one as soon as possible.
If worse comes to worst and you cant get your car started at all you will probably need to be towed home. This can be done safely without the help of a tow truck if you know someone with a car that can tow you. You can buy a tow rope to attach your vehicle to theirs, although you should always make sure that the rope you buy is strong enough to pull the weight of your car.
Other items in include in your kit are thick work gloves, a comprehensive set of screwdrivers, a tyre pressure gauge and a well-stocked first aid kit, just in case any accidents happen to you when you are driving around in your car.
