Road trips can be a truly exhilarating experience but on the flip side being stuck at the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night is no fun at all – even one of three is bad enough. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a car emergency kit in the trunk at all times. Whether you are heading out on the road trip of a lifetime or simply driving a few miles it can make a whole world of difference.
Here are a few basics you should certainly take with you on an extended road trip, particularly if your children will be joining you on this long distance excursion.
For Sanitation
You don’t want to get caught short in the middle of nowhere and not all public toilets are as clean and well equipped as you would hope. That’s why it’s a great idea to carry with you:
• Toilet paper – take out the inner cardboard tube and flatten the paper to take up less space but you should always have a roll or two handy in case of emergencies.
• Hand sanitizer – keep this in a zip top bag to prevent it from leaking onto other supplies.
• Plastic tablecloth – come in handy for more than just picnics, they also make the ideal surface for a quick diaper change.
• Trash bags – have all sorts of uses apart from storing the garbage. They come in extremely useful to line a bucket or toddler potty for emergency toilet facilities.
• Bar of soap – keep this in a soap box or a zip top bag.
• Tissues,
• Feminine hygiene products.
• A few spare plastic zip top bags for those unexpected emergencies.
For Sustenance
You do need to have a few snacks and nibbles to eat with you in case you break down a long way from civilization. It can literally be the difference between life and death. You will need things which have a long shelf life, are lightweight and calorie packed, stuff like:
• Energy bars / trail mix. You can buy some delicious examples or even make your own. Make sure that you don’t have trail mix with chocolate chips if you are travelling through the heat of the summer.
• Almonds – power houses packed with protein.
• Dried fruit – another great snack for the road.
• Whole wheat crackers.
• Peanut butter / other types of nut butter packed in foil.
• Water – don’t travel anywhere without a clean supply of drinking water, at least a couple of liters for each passenger in the car.
For Survival
It can be a fine line between surviving a potential dangerous situation and not – here are a few essentials to keep you safe in case of emergency:
• Water filter – just in case you run out of clean drinking water.
• Rain ponchos – brightly colored ones help to be seen and safe.
• Emergency blanket or sleeping bag – to keep you warm and comfortable.
• Fleece blankets – just roll a few up and pop them into the trunk, they can be used in many different situations including ground cover, window shade, changing mat etc.
• LED headlamps and / or flashlights
• Extra batteries – suitable for everything you have which uses batteries.
• Multi-purpose knife.
• Lightweight nylon cord – again you never know when it will come in useful and it needs the minimum amount of space.
• First aid kit.
• Comfortable walking shoes.
• Spare, warm, comfortable clothes for each member of the party.
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