Today’s cars seem so reliable that old jokes about breakdowns (“found dead on the road”, “fix it again, Tony”) feel like a thing of a bygone era. . But with more extreme weather events, a long list of recalls, and sometimes just plain bad luck, drivers can still find themselves stranded on the road without immediate help.
“You never know if your car is going to break down or even if you’re going to be stuck in traffic with nowhere to go,” says David Bennett, senior automotive manager at AAA.
According to automotive software company Agero, about one in three drivers in the U.S. will experience a car breakdown. To make matters worse, over 700 drivers die each year while trying to deal with mechanical problems on the road. Therefore, having the right emergency equipment in your car can not only save you time, but also save your life.
Please charge the battery
According to auto insurance company Geico, one of the most common causes of breakdowns is a dead battery. Jumping into a car used to mean getting a pair of jumper cables and finding a good Samaritan in another car to jump start your car. But these days, you can do it all yourself if you have the right tools. In some cases, you won’t even get out of your car.
boost your battery and your phone. Rechargeable battery packs currently have enough power to start a car’s 12-volt battery, and models are available from several companies, including Cobra, Scosche, and Noco. These portable battery jump starters are about the size of a paperback book, cost about $100, and typically double as a battery backup for your smartphone.
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pack gadget that leaf no chance of error. Many models, such as the Scosche PowerUp 700 ($140), also include a small built-in LED flashlight to prevent you from accidentally installing and damaging jumper clamps. (If the connection is incorrect, the jumper pack will not turn on.)
charging your battery from internal your car. Models like the Cobra Jump Starter 1000A CPJS 1000A ($120) can be charged for up to a year and have a strobe light mode for emergencies. You can use it to start your car in inclement weather or in dangerous locations, such as on the side of a busy highway, without risking going outside, said Connor Eberhart, Cobra’s product manager for power and communications. points out. Just plug it into your car’s 12 volt cigarette lighter plug. Starting your car this way may take a few minutes, but it may be safer than standing outside with the hood open.
Please inflate the tires
The second most important part of your car is where the rubber meets the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 662 traffic fatalities due to tire-related accidents in 2021. Tires can fail for a variety of reasons, including underinflation or a sudden blowout.