What's In Your Trunk?

What's in your trunk? Do you have that spare tire that just happens to be flat? Do you have a pair of tangled up jumper cables? If you are like most people the trunk of the car becomes a repository for a lot of miscellaneous items that won't fit in the glove box.

For instance: sports equipment, baby stroller, empty shopping bags, and a fairly useless collection of tools, mismatched and broken, in a box with a busted lock. There may be a lawn chair and a mildewed beach towel from that trip to the beach a few weeks ago...or last summer.

In other words most people's car trunks are a mess, containing not much that would be of help in a roadside emergency or accident. What should your trunk contain?

Summer and winter your trunk should contain the following items: a blanket, boots and socks (in case you have to walk for help), high energy food, flares, a shovel, water, jumper cables, a first aid kit, a flashlight and a 50-foot length of rope. I also keep a quart of oil, a can of Fix-a-Flat, an ice scraper, a jack, a lug wrench and a milk crate.

The milk crate is used to store most of the smaller items. But it can also be turned upside down and used as a seat or as a step stool.

There are also a few items that should be kept in your glove box: a flashlight, proof of registration and insurance, a tire gauge, a pocketknife, a disposable digital camera, a notepad and pencil.

Now, between the trunk and the glove box you have the basic essentials to assist you in whatever roadside emergency you might find yourself.