Some of us spend so much time in our car that it has literally become our second home! Like our homes, there are items we really must have in our vehicles.

ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS
Make use of the glove compartment to keep essential documents that every car owner should have on hand. It may seem a hassle, but take a few moments to collect your car manual, motor insurance policy, and maintenance log book, and keep them safely in the glove box for easy access. Keep a pen and notepad handy, too, for jotting down any important information, particularly in the event of an accident.

JACK & SPARE TYRE
Even with modern technology, no car is immune from having a flat tyre. If your car has space for it, it would be wise to have a spare tyre to deal with any unexpected tyre situation like a tear or a burst. Make sure the tyre is the same size specification as your running tyres; ideally, the same model and brand. And make sure you have a tyre jack to help lift your car while you change the tyres. This will allow you to continue to drive your car while looking for a reliable tyre workshop to check on the tyre and wheels for any further damage.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Keep a fire extinguisher handy in the car — you never know when you may need one for yourself or a fellow motorist. A standard extinguisher rated for class A, B and C fires should be sufficient. These classes are rated for fire caused by paper, wood and plastic (A), fires started by oil, propane and gas (B), and electrical fires (C). Have the extinguisher mounted in the passenger footwell for easy access. If space is at a premium, then have it mounted in the boot.

FIRST AID KIT

It is always good to have a ready-to-use first aid kit available in the car. This will be handy if there’s a need to tend to an injury or a minor accident, especially when no immediate help is available. Have a box or container stocked with items like adhesive band-aids or plasters for cuts; ointments like antiseptic creams, which are good to prevent infection in cuts, scrapes and burns; medication like aspirin or paracetamol, useful in relieving pain and fever; and a few bottles of distilled water. If your passenger is nauseated by motion sickness, some ginger candy is said to help with that. One other tip is to check that the items are not past their use-by date before using them.

For more information on how to assemble your First Aid Kit, check out our other article, ‘Essential Items for Your First Aid Kit’.PANDEMIC-READY
As we are still living in COVID-19 times, make sure you have spare face masks available. Keep a new box of masks in the boot, and a few loose ones in the glove compartment. Keep your occupants safe with a sanitiser dispenser in the back seat side pockets and keep a spare bottle of sanitiser in the boot to replenish when necessary. Having extra wipes and tissues can never be bad — just make sure you have disposable bags handy to hold the soiled items for disposal later.