In an effort to make sure The Girl is prepared for college, we have been racking our brains to come up with every possible “kit” we can put together to make her transition easier. I’m not going to lie, making sure she is prepared distracts me from the inevitable and puts my mind in a semi-state of peace.
Depending on where your student plans on going, they may or may not have a car, but if they do plan to take some wheels with them to campus, here’s a quick reference guide for making sure they are prepared:
- Jumper cables – I think every car should have these. Maybe it’s because when the kids were little they would go retrieve something out of car and leave the dome light on. I would wake up the next day to a dead battery. With jumper cables, though, they will be back in business, no matter what the circumstance.
- Bottled Water – In the event that your student is stranded for any length of time on the side of the highway, a bottle of water just makes sense.
- Emergency Blankets – If it is cold, a blanket can be a life saver, literally.
- Road Flares – Obviously, if you need to get someone’s attention, road flares will do the job.
- Seatbelt Cutter/Window Breaker – Heaven forbid your student is in an accident, this one little tool could provide peace of mind and genuine safety.
- Snacks – Again, if your student is stranded for any length of time, or even just waiting for a tow truck, clif bars, granola bars, snack packs will provide a level of comfort.
- Solar Cell Phone Charger – If the car isn’t working, charging a cell phone {which is pretty much your gateway to help} is impossible. A solar charger will be helpful in countless situations anyway.
- Coffee can, newspaper, matches. Yes, it’s a bit old school, but if your student is headed off to a colder climate, being able to build a fire to keep warm is just smart preparation.
- Flashlight. In the event something bad happens at night, being able to see to get out of the car, up a hillside, etc. is essential.
- Whistle. I know we are dealing with worse case scenarios here, but if your student is hurt, and needs to get someone’s attention {particularly if they slid off the road and out of sight} a whistle takes minimal effort.
Are there any other must-have items YOU can think of?
~Mavis
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Sue says
A few more things I would add:
A roll of toilet paper.
A pair of shoes good for walking, plus a pair of socks — just in case you have to walk a couple of miles to get help.
A sun hat and lightweight long-sleeved shirt in the summer, and a hat/scarf/blanket in the winter, for the same reason.
Speaking of winter, if it’s somewhere that gets cold in the winter, remember to remove the water bottles from the car as they will freeze and crack. Then remember to put them back when it warms up!
I also keep my most-recently-replaced pair of eyeglasses in the glove box, in case I break the ones I’m wearing (since I can’t drive without them)
Sue
Mavis says
Love the additions, Sue!
Sandra says
My daughter drove over a mountain pass to and from college. We made sure she had jumper cables. We also sprung for the AAA membership that provided 100-mile towing (which she had to use twice) and lockout service. I highly recommend AAA. My daughter also used AAA services when she did a spring break study abroad — she got maps, a low-cost reloadable prepaid debit card, and a small amount of Euros for the first day in Greece.
Mavis says
AAA is the bomb!
Sandra says
I meant tire chains, not jumper cables! (Though she had those also.)
Lisa says
Ages ago, when I was young, my mom would sweep up the sand used on the roads during the winter near our house. She would put it in a 5 gallon bucket in my car trunk along with a shovel that folded. That way if I was stuck with spinning ties in the ice or snow I would not stay stuck for long.
Mavis says
Way to be resourceful Mom!
Jo says
A container of Kitty Litter works as well as sand. It comes in a plastic container that you can just pour out of.
Robin says
An advanced idea on the coffee can for fire idea. Get a roll of toilet paper, take out the cardboard center (or now they are selling some brand of toilet paper without the cardboard roll), get a small coffee can, just the size that if you crush down the toilet paper roll it will fit. Pour in a bottle of 90-100% alcohol. Let it soak in and dry completely. Then put the plastic lid back on the coffee can and you have yourself a heater that will burn for at least 12 hours.
Mavis says
Great tip, Robin!
Travis says
Add a gallon gas can (empty) and a small fire extinguisher, a can of fix-a-flat, work gloves and keep a dupe first aid kit.
Mavis says
Empty gas can. Genius!
Mariah says
Add a can or two of Fix-a-Flat… It’s great if you’re not in a safe place to completely a tire!
Sakura says
Since I started to drive my dad always made me keep one of those longer heavy duty mag lights in the car. I know you have a flashlight in your kit, but my dad always said the mag light was strong enough it could be used for self defense. All our vehicles have them and thank goodness have only been used to light things up!
Beckybeq says
Gloves, fix-a-flat, a sturdy container of water for the radiator. If you’re in an area where the roads ice up, a bag or tub of non-clumping kitty litter is very helpful in providing traction under the wheels if you’re stuck. If you’re in a snowy area, a folding shovel. Duct tape (had a hose spring a leak once – that got me home) If there’s room, add a small bottle hydraulic jack – if you’ve ever had to change a flat with the provided jack, you’ll understand. One of those sunshades that has a side with “Call 911” on it.
Can you tell I used to drive beaters when I was a teen?
PattyB says
Everyone had such great ideas, I couldn’t think of any … except plastic trash bags. For the obvious.
Robin says
A tire pressure gauge is a good addition. I have a pair of pliers and a screw driver too, plus a brush you use to clean corrosion from battery posts. Also a few disposable funnels are good if you have to add oil. I’ve had difficulty loosening lug nuts with the tool that doubles as the handle of the jack that came with the car, so I bought a 4-armed tire tool. Changing tires is much easier with it. I like all the other suggestions. On that coffee can heater, It doesn’t say but I’m thinking a metal coffee can is meant.
Robin says
Yep, a metal coffee can should be used for the coffee can heater.
Rosaleen Sullivan says
All the tools and supplies are great to have, but do make sure your driver/student knows how to use them. If you see someone hook up jumper cables wrong just once, you will remember it forever. Add a small can of penetrating oil to squirt at the junction of the lug nuts and the bolts to help break them free and be sure that the driver knows how to change a tire. I had to change my own tire when I was 4 months pregnant, before we had AAA. Even with the star wrench, the nuts were too tight for me to budge them without the oil. I also have a portable power pack now, in addition to the jumper cables. It is much easier to use and I’ve “rescued” several other people with it. AAA may not reach some Forest Service unpaved trail head, so I plan to to take care of myself. They also can take a while to reach customers when a lot of people have problems at the same time (like bad weather), so whether one is in a remote location or just a busy time, it is better to be prepared. I may add a gas can for long trips to my “stuff”. That is a good idea, as stations may not have loaner cans.
Penny says
My sisters and brothers (I come from a large family – I am the baby of 6 kids) all taught me that writing things down will help more than anything other than drilling it into your head. So monthly they would remind me what to do if kidnapped, what to do if stranded in cold weather, etc. But in my car safety kit they had me to write down what object, instructions for it, and the list is prioritized according to safety first.
(ie – Car Trouble: if car acting up but still moving, head straight to a police station or well lit OPEN store (pref one that is open all night)
kidnapping : FIGHT BACK, DO NOT LET THEM TAKE YOU ANYWHERE! / Knock out tail lights if you are put into trunk
Stranded in cold: STAY WARM – Blanket and fire stuff in kit, GET HELP – use cell phone & or flares(flares in kit) )
My list has been used three times now that I am approaching 50. And I am gathering info to make my 18 yr old son a list and kit for his (soon to be his) vehicle as we speak. Love the add ins folks have been sharing. You all have some great ideas, Oh and all my kit stuff (including what you folks are suggesting fits inside a Home depot gallon bucket with lid on, minus the gas can of course, but it can sit alone in trunk)
Brenda says
Along with everything that people have already responded with I had in my car living in Alaska a piece of board big or smallish to use with the jack in case I was someplace uneven or I could use it for something else. Also I always had a lighter in my purse.