An old friend used to say ‘there is nothing like luck, if you work hard plus maximize opportunities, favor will find you’ well he didn’t say it that nicely but hey–it my job to make words align better *smiles.
Okay let’s talk about emergency situations that has to do with cars. If you are a car owner you have to prepare for contingencies no doubt. The promise of roadside assistance can lull us into a false sense of security, disregarding the need to prepare for a roadside breakdown. Creating luck in these instances requires preparation. Let’s talk about how to prepare:
Spare Key, spare life
All car owners have at some point experienced the anxiety caused by misplaced, stolen or forgotten car keys. It’s inevitable.
Store a spare key on the body of your vehicle.
It might seem like an unnecessary precaution, until that fateful moment when you realize you’ve locked yourself out of your vehicle.
Hide-a-key is at the top of the list because misplaced car keys is a phenomenon that even the most organized person cannot escape.
Children are quite capable of locking themselves in the car, but this one precaution saves the hassle of breaking open the window if that situation ever occurs.
Spare Tire, spare life
Ensure your spare tire is ready for use.
In an age of rapid-response motor-assistance, why waste the time changing your own flat tire? What if your moment of need arises in an area that is not easily accessible?
Instead of waiting on roadside assistance, get accustomed to the jack in your car. A jack is used to elevate the body of the car, primarily to facilitate a tire change.
Follow these steps for safe use of the jack:
Park your vehicle on level ground, ensure the handbrake is secured and put your car in Park (or first, for manual transmission).
Place the jack under the part of the car that needs to be raised. Refer to the owner’s manual to find the proper place to position the jack.
If you have a scissor jack – insert the wrench over the knob and raise the car by cranking. For hydraulic jacks, pump the handle all the way up and down using smooth even strokes.
Use jack stands to hold your vehicle up. Lock them in place and lower the jack. Avoid using stones, bricks or boxes as a substitute, they are likely to break under the weight of the car.
Ensure the vehicle is securely resting on the jack stands. Change your tire(s).
Replace the jack and remove the stands. Finally – lower the car to the ground. Crank the wrench in the opposite direction for a scissor jack or use the handle on a hydraulic jack to turn the pressure release valve.
First-Aid Kit to save you
Things to consider when assembling a first aid kit:
Family – Princess bandages work wonders for young girls and comic book heroes magically make the pain go away for young boys. Consider who else, apart from you, may require first-aid.
Specific risks – Going camping or bushwalking? You might need to include ointments and bug sprays too.
Special medical needs – Do you or someone in your family have allergies or specific medical issues? Ensure the kit contains the right materials to address your needs.
Include a booklet or download an app on your phone that explains how to use the first-aid kit. As a parent, preparing your kids for emergencies will ensure they are better protected. Train them on basic first-aid skills.
Here’s a basic list of what to include in your first aid kit:
Bandages – assorted bandages, athletic tape, gauze pads, butterfly bandages, ACE bandages.
Medication and ointments – prescription medication, Ibuprofen and antibiotic ointments.
Tools – tweezers, scissors, pocket knife and a small mirror.
Miscellaneous – antiseptic towelettes, ointment to treat burns/bee-stings, tick remover.
Additional tools – basic splint, forceps, ice pack, thermometer and a sling.
Bright Jacket to stay alive
At night and on occasions when the visibility is poor on the road, a reflective jacket alerts other drivers from a distance if you have a breakdown and need to stop by the roadside.
When you need to change tires by the roadside, a reflective jacket keeps you safe by alerting other motorists of your presence.
The jacket also protects you from the cold and can be used as a blanket for your kids.
Ensure that the jacket is water-resistant.
Store it someplace in the car that is easy to access so that you can put it on without having to get out of the car.
Tool Kit
A tool kit in your vehicle is handy for quick fixes or repair work, just in case you need to make a few tweaks, you know how the hoodlums in the traffic jam could get or how people just scratch your car…men! Lagos is hard.
Tools like measuring tape, hammer, screwdriver set, ratchet set, hex keys, and more could be essential.
Water & Soul Food
Nobody hops into their car expecting to be deprived of either food or water for too long. For regular trips, store a bottle of water in your car – prevent dehydration if you get stuck somewhere and have to wait for a while.
In the case of an emergency, you can last a day and a half without water and maybe a week without food.
Store packet of snacks to eat and to cover your water requirement, store pre-packaged bottles to satisfy your thirst for a few days – a gallon of water is recommended daily.
Flash Light to get you through the dark
A large flashlight can be dropped, run over, used as a hammer, used to pound tent stakes into the ground and constantly take on road trips.
It also doubles as weapon when required.
If you have a smaller flashlight, remove the batteries and store in a small bag.