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Brandon Currin
Vehicle Survival Kits: The Do’s and Don’ts
No matter who you are or what you do, everyone should have a survival kit of some degree in their vehicle at all times. You never know when you’ll encounter your next disaster (or a deer) when out on the road. What level of kit is totally up to your skill set, but when it comes to vehicle survival kits, there are some do’s and don’ts of the trade.
The Do’s
Include the first aid basics. Sometimes you need to go back to the basics to make sure you’re properly prepared for any and every scenario. Regardless of what scenario you’re in, chances are a first aid kit could come in handy. Think about what you’d find in a generic first aid kit; gause, burn cream, ice compress, band-aids, wipes, etc., and throw them in your vehicle survival kit.
Be prepared for day and night. When you’re wandering the back roads at night the only light you’ll be getting is from your headlights and the moon. If you get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere you’re going to wish you had listened to us and packed that flashlight.
Think of yourself. Being a survivalist means preparing for situations where others may need to help you out too. Having a blood type patch on your survival kit could make a difference in a life or death scenario.
Include gear for escaping your vehicle. Escaping from a vehicle seems easy until you get put into a situation where there’s no easy escape route. A seatbelt cutter can prevent you from getting trapped in an overturned car, while a glass breaker can get you out of a sinking vehicle.
Bring the staples. Every survivalist knows they should be carrying a knife on them at all times. It’s simple, it’s effective, and it can help in almost every situation. In addition to your knife, a tourniquet is the most important item in your survival kit. Remember, a few minutes of stopped blood flow is enough to save a life.
The Don’ts
Overpack. Even though you should always be prepared for any scenario, overpacking your vehicle survival kit can do you more harm than good. When an emergency occurs, you’re not going to have time to rummage through the kits desperately looking for one of the hundred items you threw in there. Be smart and tactical with what you pack.
Leave the kit unorganized. Make sure there’s a designated spot for every item in your kit. This not only helps you quickly access what you need, but it keeps others who are going through your kit protected, too. The last thing you want is for someone to cut themselves on some tools you forgot you had in there.
Forget to restock. Having a vehicle survival kit doesn’t do you any good if there’s nothing in there that’ll help you survive. Before you run out of something, restock. It’s better to have a little more of something than not enough of it.
Forget to make a survival kit. Duh.
You never know when you might need to help someone or have someone without a kit help you. No matter what level survivalist you are, one thing’s for sure - a basic kit is better than no kit at all.
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