Top Car Safety Accessories You Need In Your Car

Accidents can happen to anyone on the road, which is why you should always be prepared for any situation that arises. Believe it or not, the majority of car breakdowns happen in dark areas with terrible phone reception. This is why you should always keep essential safety car accessories in your ride at all times, especially before embarking on a journey. After all, it’s crucial to take preventative steps towards avoiding any form of accidents on the road.

Top 9 Car Safety Essentials You Should Always Have

Failure to prepare any car safety essentials in your car might cause you more difficulties in the long run, especially when faced with an emergency. Here are 9 car essentials that you’ll need to have in your car before embarking on a drive:

1. Multipurpose Emergency Hammer

A safety tool such as the emergency hammer is a good essential to have in your car. An emergency hammer is a life-saving tool to have, especially in situations in which your car has plunged into the river. Usually, if a car plunged into a river or a large body of water, you would be unable to open the car door as the water pressure is too high. This is when an emergency hammer is useful to break the window so you can escape as soon as possible to save yourself.

The majority of emergency hammers sold in markets can be found packaged as a 3-in-1 or a 6-in-1 deal, depending on your needs. It usually comes with a seatbelt cutter and a small torchlight as well. We know that a lot of Hollywood movies might make you think it’s possible to break your car windows with the sheer force of your arm, but we’d advise you to keep emergency safety tools handy for these moments. It’ll keep you safe when you need it most. 

2. Fire Extinguisher

A fire extinguisher is one of the most important safety tool for you to have in your car. A lot of fires are caused by short circuits and they can involve a multitude of cars too. A fire extinguisher that comes in the form of a dry powder is a better option to keep within your own car. This tool is best kept beneath your passenger seat for easy access in cases of emergency. Avoid placing your fire extinguisher beneath your driver's seat. There’s a high risk that it can roll toward your gas pedals and obstruct your driving.

A fire extinguisher (1 kg) retails anywhere from RM 70, whereas the 2 kg version (more suited for a 3-tonne lorry) retails from RM 85.

3. First Aid Kit

The importance of a first-aid kit is often overlooked, especially during long road trips. A first-aid kit is even more important if you’ve got a family with younger children. This emergency tool is not only crucial to prevent high-risk emergencies, but could potentially be a lifesaver in these times. 

Here’s what you’ll need to have in your first-aid kit:

• Small antiseptic solution
• Bandages
• Cotton pieces
• Bandaid
• Adhesive tape
• Triangular bandage
• Thermometer 
• Painkillers

A first-aid kit can be bought in any pharmacy near you and can retail anywhere from RM30 to RM200, depending on its content or brand. We highly advise that you buy a smaller-sized first-aid kit so that it’s easily stored in your car.

4. Jumper Wire Kit

Your car batteries can die at any time, anywhere. To prevent being stuck in any one location because of this, you can use a jumper wire kit as an alternative to help jumpstart your car battery again. If you’re not sure how to use one, feel free to check your car’s driving manual. A jumper wire kit can be bought from any car accessory shop or on any marketplace platforms; these kits retail around RM 50. However, there are jumper cables that are easier to use, similar to the concept of a special “powerbank” without needing to use energy from other cars.

5. Dashcam

With the rise of technology, a dashcam is fast becoming a crucial component for every car. It functions by recording your trips and should any accidents take place on the road, it’ll have these moments captured. This can help to avoid any legal issues, should the accident be caused by the other party, as you now have full evidence of what had taken place. For this reason, we highly advise that you install a dashcam in your own car.

6. Bottle of water

A water bottle should also be stored safely in your car to be used during any emergencies, such as needing to add more water into your radiator. It’s especially important for long drives. Not only that, it’s highly advised that you also store an empty water bottle in your car too. This empty bottle can be used to store extra petrol just in case that your car runs out of fuel in the middle of a drive.

Ensure that you keep your water bottle away from direct exposure to sunlight, as exposure to direct sunlight may cause it to catch on fire. Plus, you should also avoid drinking any water when the bottle in which it’s stored has been exposed to direct sunlight too as this has most likely harbored dangerous chemicals from melted plastic, and can be a huge risk to your health.

7. Safety Triangle

A safety triangle kit is usually utilized during the times in which your car has broken down, or any car emergencies. The safety triangle is placed at the side of the road (around 45 meters from the back of your car that’s been stopped due to any emergencies). This is done so that other drivers on the road are warned to use a different lane. In fact, it’s absolutely mandatory to use safety triangles in countries like Austria, Spain, France, Belgium and Italy during any car emergencies. Should you fail to use a safety triangle to indicate that your car has broken down on the road, it might result in your being fined.

8. Spare Tyre and Jack & Lug Wrench

Damaged tyres are usually caused by poor maintenance and can affect your driving experience. Not only that, but damaged tyres can also contribute to accidents on the road, which is why it’s crucial to be prepared for these types of scenarios way beforehand. Having a spare tyre is basically like having an extra safety net tucked away in your car just in case any of your tyres are punctured unexpectedly. Make sure that your spare tyre is kept in good condition at all times.

Ensure that you check the air pressure of your tyres and if they’re in an unsatisfactory state, get them pumped at your nearby petrol station or get them changed altogether if totally needed. You will also need a jack & lug wrench always at the ready in your car to help you with any tyre changes. Again, ensure that these items are always in good condition so that they can serve their purpose during your time of need.

9. Powerbank

It’s super important to have a powerbank with you before going on a long journey. Should there be any emergencies, and your phone is out of charge, you’d need a powerbank to charge it as soon as possible. It’s also important that the powerbank is fully charged too.

Eventhough certain car models have built-in-charger features, you need to also consider situations that might obstruct you from being able to use these features (maybe during a flood, or your car has unexpectedly broken down). This is when powerbanks come in handy and the best alternative. 

We hope that these safety tips will help to ease your driving experience and help you prevent any situations that might affect your safety on the road. Hopefully, the list of safety car essentials in this article will be useful for you. Remember, it’s more important to be careful and efficient on the road so that you can avoid any unwanted situations. 

This article is a translation from carsome.my