Things to carry in your car for a road trip

Long drives on panoramic roads in your car make for a fun travel experience. You may feel excited to hit the road for long trips with family, friends, and even solo. But like any other travel experience, road trips also ask for proper planning and organised packing of essentials. 

First and foremost, you need a car suitable for long drives. Your car must be well-maintained, comfortable to drive and fuel-efficient. Beyond that, you must also make a list of things to carry on a road trip. This article will help you with the list of things to carry on a road trip, so you can plan and pack faster for your trip without forgetting anything.

Things you must always have in your car

Whether going on a long trip or not, the following things should always be in your car.

1. Essential documents

While you can produce your vehicle documents online via DigiLocker, keep the physical documents handy just to be on the safer side. You might not find an internet network everywhere. In such situations, the physical documents related to your vehicle will help you cross Check Posts smoothly. 

Below are the essential documents you must carry in your car.

• Valid driving licence

• Vehicle’s Registration Certificate (RC)

• Vehicle’s Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate

• Valid insurance certificate

• ID proofs of all travellers

2. First-aid kit

A first-aid kit is a must while on the road. You never know when you or a fellow passenger might need primary medical attention. 

While packing your first-aid kit, make sure it has the following things.

• Antiseptic cream

• Medicines for diarrhoea and vomiting

• Paracetamol for fever and pain

• Band-aids, gauze and bandages

• Doctor’s tape

• Scissors

• Cotton

• Sunburn cream

• Glucose

• Medicines that you need for an existing medical condition

3. Drinking water

To enjoy your time on the road, you must keep yourself hydrated. Thus, there must be a couple of bottles of drinking water in your car all the time. Depending on the duration of your trip, you can also carry large bottles of drinking water in the boot of your car. Extra water will also help if your car gets overheated or you need to clean something.

Things to carry in your car on a road trip

Now, let’s look into the essential things to carry on a road trip..

1. Emergency kit

An emergency kit includes a variety of things you might need during a bad situation on the road. The tools like window breaker, warning triangle, flashlight, a mini fire extinguisher, etc., should be there in your car. You can pack other necessary items based on the route of your journey and weather conditions to stay prepared for emergencies. 

2. Phone chargers and USB cables

You will need your smartphones charged to make calls, make payments, and find directions or places to eat/stay nearby. So, you must carry phone chargers in the car. Also, don’t forget about the USB cables to connect your mobile phone with your car’s music system and play your favourite songs. 

3. Some cash

These days, you don’t have to completely rely on cash to make payments. You can use digital payment wallets, debit cards, and credit cards at most places. But that might not be the case during road trips, especially in remote locations. Hence, it would be wise to keep some cash for situations when other payment options don’t work. 

4. Snacks and water

On a long road trip, sometimes you don’t know when you’re going to find the next place to eat. Hence, it is better to carry some snacks to munch on and enough drinking water to keep your body hydrated. Snacks such as fruits, chips, cookies and energy bars are easy to carry on a long journey.

5. Toiletries

The benefit of keeping toiletries available is the ability to clean up yourself wherever you find a washroom on the road. Your toiletry kit can have a face wash, toothbrush, toothpaste, a hand towel, sanitary napkins, etc. Thus, you can use toilets at fuel stations or restaurants more comfortably to feel fresh and clean.

6. Tissues and wipes

Tissues will be a quick solution to any spillage inside the car. Hand wipes and face wipes will help you clean up after a quick snack. Keep enough tissues and wipes, especially if you have kids with you on a journey. 

7. Hand sanitiser

Hand sanitisation has become extremely important since the outbreak of COVID-19. But, it isn’t possible to find water to wash hands while on the road. Thus, you should carry hand sanitisers while driving on the road. 

8. Garbage bags

You might not find a dustbin everywhere while driving. Hence, keeping garbage bags in your car will let you collect all the waste until you find a dustbin. You can make your trips more eco-friendly by managing your waste on a road trip. 

Tools you should keep in your car

During long journeys, there is a possibility that you have to repair your car in the middle of nowhere. These kinds of situations will be easier to tackle if you have the right tools handy. So, here are a few of the important tools you must carry on a road trip.

1. Puncture kit

A tyre puncture can stop your journey anywhere. So, you should keep a puncture kit in your car just in case there’s no puncture shop around to help you out. Along with that, you can also carry a portable tyre inflator to maintain pressure on wheels as required.

2. Spare tyre

A spare tyre should be in your vehicle all the time in case you require a replacement while on the road. Along with that, you should keep a car jack and wheel wedges to quickly change tyres whenever needed.

3. Tow strap

This will be an important tool if you find yourself needing to tow your car to a workshop. If your car breaks down, you can request a fellow driver on the road to help you tow it to a repair shop. 

4. Lifehammer

This tool is for extreme situations that don’t happen very often, but you should be ready. A lifehammer is for cutting the seat belt and breaking the window glass of your car to get out in an emergency. 

5. Jumper cables

If your car’s battery shuts down, you can use the jumper cables to easily start it back with the help of someone else’s car.

6. Flashlight

Car troubles don’t always happen during the day. Your car can break down at night as well, which is why you need a flashlight with extra batteries for such situations. 

7. Repair gloves

You won’t want to get injured and create another crisis for yourself while trying to repair your car. Hence, it is extremely important to wear cut-proof repair gloves while fixing your car. 

Also, read: 5 Measures Taken by Officials to Reduce Road Accidents

Frequently asked questions

Here are the most frequently asked questions related to the list of things to carry on a road trip.

How can I make long drives more fun?

To make your road trip more entertaining, you can curate a playlist of your favourite songs. Plus, you can download a documentary or a podcast you want to check out. 

When in the passenger seat, you can play your favourite video games, write a journal or make videos of the panoramic views you come across on your trip.

What are the essentials for a solo road trip?

When driving solo on a long journey, you should plan ahead with an emergency kit, medical kit, and comfortable outfit. Carry enough drinking water to stay hydrated and keep some snacks to eat whenever you feel a little hungry. You should also map the route of your journey to pack everything according to the conditions you may encounter on the road.

What would be a good choice of lubrication for my car on a road trip?

For lubrication of the car parts, you can bring along a few bottles of WD-40. It is perfect for removing grime and grease from almost all parts of your vehicle. In fact, you can even use it on the windscreen to keep the bugs away. 

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