While there is always some risk involved in driving a car, there are many ways to make it a significantly safer activity. Whether through training or upgrades to your car, you can make the road a much safer place to be. Here are some upgrades to consider if you want to make your car safer.
1. A Dashboard Camera
Things can happen so quickly on the road that it is hard to figure out exactly what happened. If you have a dashboard camera, you can go back and watch the video afterward. While this can’t help you prevent an accident from occurring, it can convince somebody with bad intentions to avoid your car. It can also help you in the aftermath of a car accident. After an accident, you can pursue compensation in three ways: file a claim with your insurance company, file a claim with the insurance company of the driver who was at fault or file a lawsuit against the driver who was at fault. Whichever option you choose, you will need evidence to back up your claims. A dashboard camera can provide that for you.
2. Laminated Maintenance and Emergency Instructions
Even if your lifestyle isn’t one where you enjoy fixing cars, sometimes you’ll need to do so. If something happens to your car as you’re out driving, you’ll need to know what to do. While all cars come with a manual, it is very easy for that small book to go missing or get ruined. One solution is to keep laminated copies of the important pages in your glovebox. The document lamination process was created in the early 1900s and has been used for decades to keep documents safe. By taking a few minutes to laminate your car’s instructions, you can keep them safe and ready for when you need them.
3. First Aid Kit
Putting a first aid kit in your car is a simple upgrade that can potentially help you and your loved ones stay safe in the future. If you have an active lifestyle, you might find yourself using it regularly for things like hiking and camping. However, even if you don’t, having it there will keep you safe if you need minor medical care. Look for a kit that has everything you need, or create one yourself. If you keep it in your car all the time, it will be there whenever you need it. Just make sure to restock it once in a while.
4. Blankets
If you live somewhere with harsh winters, you need to prepare for the possibility that your car could get stranded in the snow. Make sure that you have warm blankets somewhere in your car. Just like at home, your car can get very cold. According to the Department of Energy, a drafty window can cause you to lose 25% to 30% of your warm air. While this could be inconvenient and expensive at home, it is potentially deadly if you’re stranded in your car. By keeping warm blankets in your car at all times, a simple upgrade can save your life.
5. USB Charger
If your car did not come with a USB charging port, you should get one installed. The modern lifestyle requires you to have your cell phone with you frequently. If you don’t have a charger in your car, you risk a dead battery when you need it most. So get a charging port installed, then purchase a cable to keep in your car. That way, you have a phone charger whenever you need one.
It’s extremely important that you are as safe as possible when on the road. A few simple upgrades can make your car much safer, so consider ways you can apply these tips to your own car.