Safe Driving | Car Emergency Kit

Things To Put In Your Car's Emergency Kit

Thinking of taking a road trip? Visiting family in a remote area? Or, driving through some crazy weather conditions? No matter where you’re driving or what the conditions are, there’s always a chance you might need some tools to get you out of a fix.

Be prepared for anything out on the road by packing your very own car emergency kit. We’ve broken the essentials up into various driving scenarios, so you can work out what you need to keep stored in your car boot and stay safe on the road.

The Basics | CITY DRIVING

Even if you only drive in the city or suburbs – surrounded by mechanics and convenience stores at every turn – there are still some things that you should keep stored in your car at all times. Here are the basic items every driver needs in their car.

1. User Manual

Your Mazda's user manual can come in handy for more reasons than just stopping an unexplained flashing light, or that beeping noise that won’t stop. Use it to help troubleshoot problems, understand your car’s features, and get information on how to safely change tyres and refill fluids.

2. Spare Tyre

Having a spare tyre in the boot is essential for any kind of car trip, whether you’re commuting to work or road tripping in the country. So all you need to do is familarise yourself with your car's spare tyre compartment and check the tyre pressure every now and again to ensure it’s suitable to use in an emergency. Mazda vehicles come with a space saver tyre. These are not the same size as your usual tyre and are designed for temporary emergency use, so you can only drive 80km/hr maximum.

3. First Aid Kit

You never know when a first aid kit may come in handy. You can buy these from pretty much anywhere and they come kitted out with things like gauze, band aids, pain killers, antiseptic wipes, bandages and more. If you injure yourself while out and about or attending to a car problem, at least you’ll have something on hand. Good first aid kits will even come with a useful guide on how to use the products. If you’ve done some basic first aid training you may be able to use it to provide assistance at the scene of an accident.

4. Spare Cash (kept well hidden)

As much as society is becoming cashless, it’s a good idea to keep some spare cash tucked away in your car somewhere out of sight. No, this is not intended for emergency ice cream stopovers – keep it there for legitimate emergencies only, like if you lose your wallet and are running out of fuel. We don't recommend that you store a lot of money in your car, perhaps only  $20-$50.

5. A Poncho or Umbrella

Murphy’s Law dictates that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. So chances are, if you’re going to break down it will be in the middle of a downpour. Keep some kind of weather protection gear in your car so you can deal with the situation at hand without becoming sodden.

The Basics | ROAD TRIPPING

Whether you’re visiting family in the country, or embarking on your Great Australian Road Trip, when going on long drives you need to put a bit of extra thought into packing a car emergency kit. Stay safe by adding these extra items.

6. Emergency Water

Under normal conditions, the average human can only survive a few days without water – so it can never hurt to store a few litres in your car boot in case you break down or get stuck. It’ll also be useful if your car needs water.

7. Roadmap

Believe it or not, there was a time before Google Maps. But how did people get anywhere?! Well, printed maps are a thing, it turns out – and they’re super useful to have in your car as a backup option in case your phone loses battery or your GPS is out of range. At the very least, make sure you study your route thoroughly before you set off on your road trip.

8. Car Trip First Aid Additions

If you’re driving for a long period of time, keep yourself feeling fresh with eye drops to moisten your eyes and remove any dust particles, painkillers to keep headaches at bay, and motion sickness tablets for any passengers that might get woozy on car trips.

If you live in a remote area or regularly travel though the country, include these extra car emergency items to your kit.

9. Jumper Leads

Car batteries don’t last forever – as you’ll experience if you accidentally leave the interior light on! Store some jumper leads in your car in case your battery does wear out and emergency roadside assistance isn’t available. Read your manual carefully to work out how to use them properly, and then all you need is another working vehicle to give your car battery a kick start.

*Note – some modern cars shouldn’t be jump started, as it can affect internal computer systems and cause expensive damage. That brings us back to item #1… read your car manual to confirm what’s advised for your car before going out and buying jumper leads.

10. Oil and Coolant

Keep these fluids stored in your car for emergency top ups. You should check your car’s oil levels regularly to ensure it’s running smoothly, while coolant should be topped up to ensure your car doesn’t overheat.

11. Food

Consider keeping some non-perishable food in your car, especially when driving in remote areas. If you break down, you’ll be able to stay sustained while waiting for help to arrive.

12. Safety Tools 

Store some high visibility safety materials in your car at all times, so if you do break down or have an accident you have a way of indicating to other drivers that there’s a hazard on the road. Stay safe by putting on a high visibility vest or a setting up a reflective hazard triangle by the roadside.

The Basics | ALL OUT SAFETY

From scorching weather in the summer months to heavy snow in alpine regions in winter, Australia has a wide variety of weather conditions. If you live somewhere that experiences extreme weather – or if you know you’ll be travelling through unusal weather – add these extra items to your kit:

13. Blankets

If travelling in cold weather, having a spare blanket or two in the boot will come in handy if you break down and need to wait for help to arrive. In hot weather, blankets can also be rigged up to provide much-needed shade.

14. Cat Litter

Okay… it sounds kind of weird, but cat litter can help your car get out of icy situations if it’s snowy and slippery by creating more traction for your wheels. Store a bag in your boot in case you need help getting your car moving.

15. Snow Chains

Only use snow chains if you know how to properly fit them to your car. These can help avoid your car slipping in snow and causing an accident.

16. Glass Cleaner

If it’s excessively sunny, a dirty windscreen can cause distracting reflections to impair your vision of the road. Store some glass cleaner and newspaper or a rag so you can give your windscreen a quick polish if this happens to you.

17. Roadside Assistance

While there are ways you can fend for yourself if you get a flat tyre or your car battery runs out, you don’t necessarily have to! For peace of mind that you’ve got backup if something happens – or if your tyre changing skills aren’t quite up to scratch, eligble vehicles are covered by Mazda's Roadside Assistance program. 

Whether it’s a flat battery, locked-in keys, accident support and flat or damaged tyres, we’ve got you covered, day or night, city or country. With Mazda Premium Roadside Assistance, help is always there when you need it.

To access your Roadside Assistance simply visit the Mazda Australia Roadside Portal or call 1800 034 411.