There is an important question you need to ask yourself. Do you have what you need in your car in case of an emergency? Or, more importantly, what are the things that you need to keep in your car in such situations?
The truth is, even though we don’t want to think about it, accidents happen. We can get stranded in the middle of nowhere, we can get a flat tire or get stuck somewhere in freezing temperatures.
It might be easy to learn how to drive and even easier to get a car. However, not many people know what is necessary to make their car work. Don’t worry, though – we are here to help you.
There are certain things that a car owner should keep in the car. We already made a list of items you shouldn’t forget to take with you before going on a long journey. 
Here is a list of car essentials that will help you keep the vehicle running and let you deal with the unexpected hurdles on the road.

1.   Spare Tire, Lug Wrench, and Tire Jack

Alright, so the first item is actually? three items. But seeing as each of them is necessary for the other to work, we will count them as one!
These items are: your spare tire, a lug wrench and a tire jack.
Although more and more cars come without a spare tire, it’s always good to keep one – just in case (or, alternatively, have a tire repair kit on hand). After all, the statistics show that just in the United States alone 7 tire punctures occur every second! That’s a lot of flat tires per year (220 million, to be more precise).

2. Vehicle Fluids

Another thing to “keep” in your car is? keep proper maintenance of your vehicle’s fluids. You do not need to bring a whole supply of various fluids with you on every trip, but it’s in your best interest to check them every now and then.

•   Engine Oil
•   Coolant  
•   Power Steering Fluid
•   Brake Fluid
•   Transmission Fluid

Every single one of these fluids needs to be replaced at different recommended times. For example, it is widely accepted that you should change the engine oil every 3,000 miles or so (although some claim it can be as many as 5,000 miles for newer cars). It’s best to consult with your vehicle user manual to gauge the timing for the replacement more accurately.

3.   First Aid Kit

This one is a no-brainer – everyone should keep a first aid kit in their car. It’s not only for the possibility of an accident sometime in the future, it’s because life likes to give us unexpected scrapes. You might need to bandage a blister or clean a cut – especially if you travel with kids. Things happen.

•   Adhesive Band-Aids for covering cuts
•   Gauze pads for treating wounds
•   Safety pins for closing bandages
•   Adhesive tape
•   Antibiotic ointment
•   Antiseptic cream for skin inflammation and rashes
•   Antiseptic wipes to sanitize your hands
•   Pain-relieving medication
•   Insect bite relief pads
•   Cotton balls and cotton swabs
•   A thermometer
•   Tweezers
•   Curved scissors
•   A needle
•   Hand sanitizer 

Thankfully, you don’t nee d to think about all of these separate items – there are plenty of pre-made first aid kits available on the market, both offline and online. Having a ready-to-use and well-stocked first aid kit is the best way to prepare yourself for any emergency during travel.

4.   Flashlight

Flashlight is your friend during any nighttime outings. Make sure to keep one in your car – although a tactical flashlight is recommended, it’s good to have at least a pocket flashlight stashed in your glove compartment. Having a flashlight within your arm’s reach will ensure you can move quickly at night and help someone in need – as testified by one of the BlackVue users in his story we featured on our blog.

5.   Dashcam

Although for many they still feel like new technology, dashcams are on the rise and the worldwide market for dashcams is expected to grow exponentially over the next five years.
And for good reason. Having a dashcam?such as the 4K UHD Cloud-enabled BlackVue DR900S-2CH?installed in your car will boost your car safety game and give you peace of mind on the road. 

6. Essentials Required By Law

Not everyone knows this, but there are items that you are legally required to keep in your car – and that they vary from country to country, and sometimes state to state. 
For example, in the UK you are actually required to equip your car with a spare bulb set, a first aid kit, a warning triangle and a fire extinguisher. As a comparison, for driving in Poland you would only need a warning triangle and a fire extinguisher.

The list above is in no way a complete list – feel free to add items that you feel are also necessary to have in your vehicle. You might feel inspired by some of our previous posts, such as “Going For a Long Drive? Here Are Some Road Trip Tips!” and “7 Must-Have Items For Your Daily Car Commute In 2020“.