Vehicle essentials

13 Year-Round Vehicle Essentials

Vehicle essentialsA good driver is a prepared driver. While most driving experiences are smooth and uneventful, it pays to be ready for whatever may come your way. Keep your vehicle stocked, keep your eyes on the road, and keep yourself healthy to make sure you drive every one of your routes smoothly. 

Year-Round Vehicle Essentials

1. Bottled water

No matter what your job is, it’s important to make sure you’re properly hydrated so you can always perform optimally. Bringing a 2 L or 1,5 L water bottle with you on every drive will guarantee that you have enough for an 8-hour shift. If you can have a little extra lying around, you can use it for hand-washing, preparing antifreeze, or cleaning anything without feeling guilty about wasting what should be reserved for drinking.

2. Duct tape

The all-mighty duct tape is a quick and effective solution for when the specialist can’t immediately come to your rescue. With a quality roll of duct tape, you’ll be able to seal connections, patch up leaks, and hold engine parts together long enough to get your vehicle to an auto repair shop.

3. Power bank

A lot of delivery drivers rely on GPS systems on their smartphones to navigate their routes. Some vehicles are equipped with USB chargers that will help you keep your device juiced up while you’re driving, but it doesn’t hurt to have extra power on hand. For situations where you may need to walk around with your smartphone or when the vehicle is unable to charge it, having a full power bank is key.

4. Trash bags

Keep your workspace clean. Avoid having trash around, like a bottle or a can that can accidentally roll under your brake pedal and cause a crash. Keep a medium trash bag handy to dispose of any wrappers, tissues, paper cups, or any other items that accumulate.

5. Maps

Yes, we are in the digital age, but even technology can fail in our hour of need. Keeping an updated map of the areas you most frequently navigate or new areas you may have to drive through on your route will set your mind at ease.

6. Tire repair kit

With a high volume of packages as passengers on your ride, you won’t want anything to slow you down. That’s why having a tire repair kit is essential. Some tire damage may require professional help, but you can avoid taking a detour to the auto repair shop during your route if you can patch small punctures with your kit.

7. A multi-purpose knife

When you need to fix or adjust anything at home, you reach for your trusty old toolbox, but your vehicle may not have enough space for you to carry one. The next best thing is to stock it with a multi-purpose knife, which will provide you with many tools in one. Most multi-purpose knives are equipped with pliers, wire cutters, scissors, flathead drivers, and blades.

8. Jumper cables

Don’t let a dead battery hinder your delivery times. Make sure you keep a pair of jumper cables in your vehicle to bring it back to life by connecting it to another vehicle’s battery.

9. Flares

Using a flare will help others find you if you ever get stuck somewhere in the dark or during a snowstorm. If you don’t happen to have a flashlight, flares can also illuminate your path.

10. Vest

In some European countries, it’s mandatory to have a reflective yellow safety vest in the automobile. Even if you are not driving in one of those countries, it’s highly recommended that you carry one. High visibility vests guarantee that you will be easily seen by other drivers if you need to exit your vehicle in low-lit areas or on high-traffic roads.

11. Flashlight

A flashlight can not only help you find your way if you have to walk at night or in the middle of a storm, but it will also come in handy if you need to look under the hood to solve any motor-related problems.

12. Fire extinguisher

Similar to reflective vests, some countries have made it mandatory to have a fire extinguisher in the vehicle. An extinguisher can be a real life-saver in case of a small fire, keeping all occupants safe and preventing further damage to the automobile.

13. Emergency whistle

In an emergency where you or your vehicle may end up stranded, having a whistle will allow you to make yourself more easily found.  

Want more tips?

Now you know what the essential items are to have on hand for when you’re driving your delivery routes. If you want to learn more useful tips from Service Club, like how to navigate the holiday rush safely, you can find them on our blog


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