Top 10 Safety Must-Haves In The Car

I’ve been doing a lot of road trips during the weekends lately and this article titled ‘Top 10 must-haves in vehicles’ which was featured in the StarMetro Online couldn’t have come at a better time.

I found the tips shared by K. Balasupramaniam or more widely known as Capt. Bala, who is the Road Safety Marshal Club founder and chairman, to be very useful and practical. Reading this article makes me want to dash out and check that I have all 10 items in my car! 

So happy reading everyone, and stay safe wherever you are.

#1 Fire extinguisher

Keeping a fire extinguisher in your car is highly recommended by Capt. Bala. A 1kg fire extinguisher is enough for a small car while a 2kg one is recommended for bigger vehicles. 

"Buy Sirim-approved extinguishers," Capt. Bala advised.

Cars can catch fire due to overheating, an accident or friction. If you see smoke coming out from your bonnet, pull your car aside.“Pull your bonnet latch, but don’t lift your bonnet or you’ll feed the fire with more oxygen,” said Capt. Bala. Spray the fire extinguisher between the small space of your bonnet and only lift it up once no smoke emits from it.

#2 First aid kit

A good first aid kit comes with tools to treat minor cuts and other useful contents including burn gels. "Buy first aid kits with soft containers or cushioned casings instead of the hard ones where you may injure yourself if it flies within your car during an accident," Capt. Bala advised.

#3 Masking tape

Masking tape is extremely useful as it has many uses and can hold things in place. Capt. Bala explained that you can use masking tape to hold your bumper in place until you can get it fixed or to tape your side mirror if it has been knocked in an accident and is dangling from your car.

#4 Life hammer (emergency hammer)

In the event you are trapped in a car after an accident, a life hammer, or emergency hammer, can help you escape. It comes with a siren and torchlight, and you can also use it to cut your seatbelt and break your window if you are trapped in the car. It can easily be stored in your glove compartment and you can get them for about RM30 in some supermarkets, making them accessible and relatively affordable.

#5 Towel

Having a towel in your car is useful if you or your passenger is bleeding, experiencing hypothermia or needs to dry off. You can also use your towel to wrap around your face in the event your windscreen has shattered to protect yourself from shards of glass, or to protect your seats in the event you were caught in the rain or covered in dirt.

#6 Water

Capt. Bala advises motorists to keep three litres of water in their cars. This can be used for your radiator or for your own consumption if you find yourself stranded in an unfamiliar place. The water will also come in handy in the event you need to wash yourself if you get dirty.

#7 Jumper cables

“Buy good quality jumper cables and not the thin ones,” advises Capt. Bala, adding that one should also remove any rings or watches before jump starting the car or you may injure yourself.

#8 Traffic cones

If your car breaks down on the road, traffic cones offer visual warning to other motorists to stay clear of your car.

“Emergency warning triangles have a tendency of getting stolen, however,” said Capt. Bala. Vehicle owners should consider buying three cones to guide oncoming traffic away from your car.

“Buy collapsible traffic cones that can fit in the boot without taking up much space or you can also use blinkers to warn other motorists when your car is stopped at the side of the road.

If you need help, you can even wave the blank side of a CD to attract attention as it reflects light,” said Capt. Bala.

#9 Plastic poncho

A poncho will come in handy as it is multifunctional. It can help keep us dry when changing tyres in the rain, it can be used as a temporary shelter from downpours, to wrap your car window in the event it is shattered or to protect your seats from getting soiled if you are wet from the rain. You can easily purchase them from pharmacies and even convenient stores.

#10 Portable charger

No one wants to be caught in a situation where they are stranded in an isolated area with no battery in their phone to call for help.

Generally, one does not want to rely on public payphones as they may be vandalised while emergency phones on highways may require you to walk some distance to reach one.

Keep a mobile charger in your car to ensure that you can call for help if your phone battery has run flat or to Google information.

It might be useful to consider a portable solar charger that can be used to charge various mobile devices including your laptop, phone and camera.

A regular portable charger works too, if you do not need the additional features that come with a portable solar charger.

Lotsa Luv

Info credit: http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/focus/2015/08/22/top-10-musthaves-in-vehicles-useful-equipment-to-keep-handy-in-case-of-an-emergency/