Car essentials kit
The essential kit every car should carry: first aid, tools, and the small items that matter during a breakdown or accident. Check what you already have — and what's expired.

[ ] Check your car first aid kit's expiry date
    Kit contents — bandages, tourniquet, antiseptics — expire, typically after 3–4 years. An expired kit won't pass a roadside check, and a perished tourniquet can fail exactly when you need it.
[ ] Check the fire extinguisher and its accessibility
    Confirm the expiry date and pressure — the gauge needle should sit in the green zone. Mount it so you can grab it in seconds, not dig it out from under trunk clutter.
[ ] Pack a warning triangle
    Required by law in most countries. Check that the reflective edges haven't faded and the folding legs still open smoothly.
[ ] Keep a reflective vest inside the cabin
    In the door pocket or glovebox — not the trunk. The rule: put it on before you step out onto the road, not after.
[ ] Carry a tow rope
    Check the attachment hooks and rings, not just the rope itself — they're what usually fails first.
[ ] Carry jumper cables
    Go for at least a 16 mm² gauge (25 mm² for diesels) — thin cables can overheat when you actually try to jump-start.
[ ] Carry an air compressor with a gauge
    Test it before a trip and make sure the power cord actually reaches the farthest wheel, not just the nearest one.
[ ] Check the jack, lug wrench and locking wheel nut key
    Make sure the locking nut key is actually in the car, not at home in a drawer — without it the wrench is useless on alloy wheels.
[ ] Check the spare tire's pressure
    The spare is the wheel everyone forgets. Check its pressure every six months along with the rest — it loses air just like they do.
[ ] Bring spare washer fluid
    A spare bottle in the trunk saves you on the highway when road grime empties the tank faster than expected.
[ ] Pack a pair of work gloves
    Useful for changing a tire or handling battery cables without ending up with greasy or freezing hands.
[ ] Pack a flashlight
    A dedicated flashlight beats your phone: it won't drain your battery and lights the engine bay better after dark.
[ ] Keep a phone charging cable in the car
    A cable that lives in the car means you're never stranded without navigation or a way to call for help.
[ ] Pack wet wipes
    Handy for cleaning up after a tire change or wiping the windshield when there's no water around.
[ ] Carry drinking water
    A couple of bottles for a traffic jam, breakdown, or a long wait for a tow truck — especially in summer.
[ ] Keep a blanket in the cabin
    Keeps you warm during a cold-weather breakdown while you wait for help, and doubles as cover for a kid or pet.
[ ] Put together a seasonal winter kit
    An ice scraper, snow brush and a folding shovel — keep them in the cabin from autumn so you're not digging out the car bare-handed after the first snowfall.
[ ] Check your documents and insurance dates
    License, registration and insurance policy should all be in the car and valid. An expired policy means a fine and real trouble after an accident.
[ ] Save your insurer's and tow truck's numbers in advance
    Add the numbers to your contacts before you break down — hunting for them from the roadside with no signal wastes precious time.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/car-essentials