What to Keep in Your Emergency Breakdown Kit
It can be a daunting experience when your car suddenly stops working for no reason, especially when you’re far away from home, on a busy road or an unfamiliar route. However, keeping a few handy items in your car ahead of time means that you’ll be prepared for most eventualities. Here is a rundown of the best things to keep in your emergency breakdown kit for when disaster strikes.
1. Mobile Phone
Naturally, having your phone to hand is ideal when you’re stuck and in need of help. You can use it to call a car service near you, or a loved one to come and provide assistance. Make sure that you can top your battery up easily by keeping a portable charger in the car, too.
2. Spare Tyre & Jack
A large majority of breakdowns occur due to a flat tyre. Some people won’t think twice about changing a tyre themselves, so keeping a spare, road legal tyre and a jack in the car is a good idea. Alternatively, if you aren’t confident about changing it yourself, you could contact a local tyre fitter to help you out.
3. Empty Fuel Canister
Another common reason for breakdowns is a lack of fuel. If you know you’re within walking distance of a petrol station, a canister full of fuel should be enough to get you home, or at least to the petrol station itself.
4. Warm Clothes and a Waterproof Coat
When you break down, you may have to exit your car to wait outside for quite some time - in the UK, this means you’re likely to encounter some wind and rain! In light of this, a few extra layers and a waterproof jacket always come in handy.
5. Food & Water
You never know how long you’re going to be waiting for breakdown assistance, so it’s good practice to keep some emergency supplies handy for when the hunger kicks in.
6. Hi-Vis Vest, Torch & Warning Triangle
Breaking down on a busy main road, in the dark or in bad weather can make it incredibly difficult for other drivers to see and avoid you. As such, you should always wear a hi-vis vest, put on your car’s hazard lights and place a warning triangle 45 metres behind your car if it’s safe to do so. A torch can also be useful for extra visibility.
7. Jump Leads
A flat battery is yet another common cause of breakdowns. Investing in a set of jump leads can help you get back on the road quickly if you can find another helpful motorist to charge your battery.
Acorn Tyres: Your Trusted Tyre Fitters in Aylesbury
For a high-quality tyre replacement service, brake repair and exhaust fitting in Aylesbury, Acorn Tyres are the company to contact. We can also ensure that your car doesn’t break down again in a hurry with thorough MOT testing. Our technicians have years of experience in the trade and ensure that you receive a high standard of service every time.
Get in touch with us to find out more about our services.
