If you’re heading out on the road, you should have some basic safety supplies in your vehicle. It’s important to plan to break down. No matter how well you maintain your vehicle, there’s no way to avoid the fact that, eventually, you are going to break down. Having the following items handy can help you to avoid some of the most common inconveniences and, in some cases, consequences much worse than being inconvenienced.
1: Water
Texas can get very hot in the summer and, even in the winter, you can get dehydrated quickly if you have to walk or work on your car to get it going again. Make sure you have some drinking water in your vehicle. It’s also a good idea to have radiator fluid—antifreeze—or water in your car just in case you have a problem with your cooling system. Keep water intended for your radiator and water intended for drinking clearly marked.
2: Roadside Lighting, Triangles
Avoid flares. Texas has horrible problems with wildfires and flares are huge risks in the summer. If you carry roadside triangles and a good light, you should be able to give other motorists ample warning if you’re broken down. You can get multi-lights, which usually have a flasher, standard flashlight and a red light on them for very low prices. They’re well worth the money.
3: Air Compressor
An improperly-inflated tire can be nothing short of deadly in some cases. If you’re driving on a tire that’s low, you run the risk of losing control and, of course, you may be flirting with a blowout. Either can cause a serious, sometimes deadly, wreck. There are inexpensive air compressors that you can get and carry in your car. Make sure that you at least have a spare tire.
4: Fire Extinguisher
You should always have a fire extinguisher in your car. It can be used to put out your car if it catches fire and can also be used to stop any roadside fires you cause. Wildfires have burned huge amounts of acreage in Texas. Having a fire extinguisher is a necessity for Texas drivers and may save your, or someone else’s, life!
If someone you love has been killed, catastrophically injured or if you’ve had your property destroyed by a negligent driver, contact an attorney. A DFW car wreck lawyer can help you file a lawsuit in some cases.
