It is essential to have a kit of emergency supplies that goes into your vehicle. This car emergency bag is designed to help you survive an accident, escape your car after a crash, or get to a shelter during inclement or severe weather. While your Georgia car insurance company can assist you with repairing your vehicle after the incident is over, it’s important to be prepared to handle dangerous situations or bad weather when it hits.
What is a Car Emergency Bag?
An emergency bag may contain some or all of the following items:
- Jumper cables – these cables are used to help start one vehicle’s dead battery using the charge from another vehicle’s functioning battery.
- Flashlight and batteries – pick a size that’s easy for you to hold while walking or working on your vehicle, and be sure to add extra batteries in the correct size.
- Rain gear or poncho – rain gear can make it substantially more comfortable to work on your vehicle or walk to a shelter during a severe weather event.
- Seatbelt cutter/window breaker – these devices are designed to help you cut yourself loose from a jammed seatbelt or break a window in an emergency. They should be stored in the glove compartment and near passenger seats, not in the emergency kit itself.
- Fully stocked first aid kit – you may choose to design your own first aid kit or purchase one already created for you.
- Non-perishable foods – include a selection of light, non-perishable food items in your car emergency kit.
- Water bottles – include several full bottles of water.
- Car charger for your cell phone – pack a car charger for your phone or an extra power source for your phone.
- Local maps – Include paper maps of local areas that you frequently travel. GPS can be unreliable during severe weather.
- Insurance Information – Keep a copy of your Georgia Car Insurance information in your vehicle and on your phone.
Reasons a Car Emergency Bag is Important
Keeping an emergency kit in your vehicle is essential for a variety of reasons. Often, these supplies are enough to help you manage a breakdown, get your family to safety, or survive severe weather. Whether you’re dealing with a hurricane or a flat tire, you’ll have the basic items you need to stay safe until you can get to a more comfortable area.
Essential in Inclement Weather
When severe weather hits, the last thing you want is to be stranded in your vehicle. However, this can occasionally happen, depending on the type of situation you’re dealing with. While our area doesn’t get many winter storms, we do see severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes through a large part of the year.
This makes it important to carry appropriate emergency gear in your vehicle so that you’ll have access to it when you need it most. Consider packing a tarp or raincoat, a cell phone charger, snacks or non-perishable food, and information about local shelters for inclement weather so you know where you’re headed.
Important During a Breakdown – Georgia Car Insurance Essentials
A car emergency bag can also be helpful to have if you experience a breakdown or mechanical failure. The items you’ve packed in advance can help ensure that you stay safe and comfortable while you wait for assistance or work on repairing your vehicle.
If you have roadside assistance coverage, you may find that you need some basic supplies to get your vehicle to safety until that company can assist you. You may also need to wait for some time before they can help you jumpstart your battery or change your flat tire. In situations like this, it’s good to have a few extra things on hand, like a sweater when the weather is chilly, some food to get you through the wait, and a drink.
If you don’t have roadside assistance, then you’ll want to bulk up your emergency kit a bit more and add jumper cables, everything you need to change the tire on your vehicle, a basic tool kit, extra fuses, and anything else you think you may need.
Either way, you’ll also need a copy of your vehicle registration, make, and model, your drivers’ license, and your car insurance information. You may want to put all of this information into one easy-to-access folder in your vehicle or scan all of these documents into one folder on your phone or a cloud drive.
Pack Supplies to Help You Get to Safety – You’ll Need More than Just Your Car Insurance
Your emergency bag should include the essential items that you will need if you have to leave your car to get to safety. This may mean an extra dose of medications and a water bottle, a pair of shoes that you can walk some distance in, a jacket, and a flashlight. You should also pack an extra battery pack for your phone or a charging cable.
Emergency Supplies in the Event of an Accident
If you are in an automobile accident, having emergency supplies on hand can accelerate medical treatment. Consider adding a well-stocked first aid kit to your car emergency bag so that you or a first responder has easy access to the medical gear that you need to help in a crisis. First aid kits can be purchased in varying sizes from both brick and mortar stores and online retailers, so you can select the size that’s right for you.
How Do You Obtain a Car Emergency Bag?
You may be wondering how you obtain a car emergency bag. These bags are easy enough to make for yourself with an old backpack. Alternatively, you can store your gear in several small plastic totes in your vehicle. Either option provides you with the benefit of easy access to your necessities when an incident occurs. Whether you purchase a pre-made kit or design your own emergency bag that is customized to the needs of your family, get started today.