Road trips can take you to far-off places, sometimes away from any convenience stores or auto repair centers. You need to go prepared on any such trip, and for that packing, all the right essentials should be your priority. Below, we’ve provided a list of every essential item needed for a road trip. Make sure you have these – and your personal selections that may not be on this list – before you slip into the car and turn the ignition.
1. First Aid Kit
Burn treatment creams, disinfectants, band-aids, gloves, and of course, extra covid-19 masks are all essential additions to a first aid kit. You may thankfully not get a chance to use some of the medical equipment in these kits, but having them in the car is crucial just in case you do. First aid kits are travel essentials in every way imaginable.
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2. Spare Tire
Do not tell yourself you’re going to be okay, or talk to your car with words like ‘You can do it, sweetie, you won’t give us any trouble.’ A tire is like your foot. Imagine going without one. Make space for a spare, and do not sacrifice it just because you feel you may need room for, say, picnic essentials. Get a tire iron and jack packed as well.
3. Car Manual
Even professional drivers need to rely on a technical point or two in-car manuals. Sometimes, this can save you a lot of avoidable expenses and time. Finding precisely what’s wrong with your vehicle, if such a circumstance does indeed arise, can and will help you resolve the matter without it affecting your entire road trip. A manual is thus one of the most important travel essentials on road trip.
4. Paper Documents
These essentials to carry on road trip warrant a slightly longer description. When we say ‘paper documents’, we mean… License and registration: emergencies and official authorities both demand to see this first before they even give you the benefit of the doubt. Insurance policy: this is a risk-mitigation and money-saving document. You can avail these from different sources, but having insurance for your car is significant in more ways than one.
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If your car came with a certificate of ownership, add that too. Cross-border checks often demand to see this. If yours is a rental car, get apt certificates from the owning company before heading out. Some places will ask to see particular documentations and ‘vehicle passports’, especially during the ongoing Wuhan-virus pandemic. Make sure you do some research and figure out all such documents needed. No matter where you plan to go, make doubly certain that all these documents are in your car, and in an easy-to-access spot.
5. Jumper Cables
Whether it is using another car’s engine or a direct source of power, jumper cables are the only road trip essentials for this job. Your battery can die when least expected, and there’s really no point sitting there on the side of the road thinking, ‘why did this happen to me?’. Instead, buy reliable jumper cables for the road. These reduce your risk of being stranded and having to leave your car in unsafe environments while you foot it to the nearest motel. Don’t assume that local motor repair services will carry their own cables, it is best to be self-reliant. #Aatmanirbhar
6. Tool Box
You don’t need to be a pro at knowing every item in such a box, and how to use them. Similar to the first aid kit detailed earlier, a toolbox can prove mighty handy on a road trip. You will need access to these tools to replace or repair any small parts in your car, or perhaps even in some of the places you choose to stay. Don’t forget to include a knife, specifically a Morakniv knife. Get due permits for it if you know you’re going to have to pass through an airport on your road trip in India. A knife is another significant tool to have on a road trip, and its uses are manifold.
Road trips are all about fun and making memories, so the last thing you need is something getting in the way of that. The items mentioned above are important in ensuring that you make the most of your road trip.
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