10 Safety Items Every Driver Should Keep in Their Vehicle

Nobody leaves home thinking, “Today seems like a great day for a flat tire!” 😂 Unfortunately, breakdowns, dead batteries, bad weather, and accidents don't make appointments.

At Angel’s Towing & Recovery, we help stranded drivers throughout Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake, and being prepared can make a stressful roadside situation much safer.

Here are 10 items worth keeping in your vehicle:

1. 🦺 Reflective Safety Vest
Keep it somewhere you can reach before getting out of the vehicle, not buried underneath everything in your trunk.

2. 🔦 Flashlight
Keep a bright flashlight where it's easy to find and check the batteries periodically.

3. 🔺 Reflective Warning Triangles
Carry warning triangles, but only place them when you can do so without walking into or alongside dangerous traffic.

4. 🩹 First-Aid Kit
Keep basic supplies for minor cuts and injuries. For a serious injury, call 911 instead of attempting to handle it yourself.

5. 🔋 Portable Battery Jump Pack
Charge it regularly and learn how to use your specific model before an emergency happens.

6. 🔌 Phone Charger or Power Bank
Keep a charged backup battery in your vehicle. A dead phone during a breakdown can turn a small problem into a much bigger one.

7. 💧 Water & Nonperishable Snacks
Keep several bottles of water and shelf-stable snacks available, especially before longer trips.

8. 🧤 Gloves, Rain Gear & Blanket
Weather can change quickly. Keep these together in a small emergency bag so they're easy to reach.

9. 🛞 Spare Tire & Proper Tools
Check the spare's tire pressure periodically and make sure the jack and lug wrench are actually in the vehicle.

10. 📄 Vehicle & Insurance Information
Keep your registration and insurance information accessible. Also know your license plate number and insurance roadside-assistance information.

🚨 Your Car Just Broke Down — What Do You Do NOW?

Your emergency kit only helps if you know what to do with it. Follow these steps in order:

STEP 1 — Get out of the travel lane if you safely can.
Turn on your hazard lights immediately. If the vehicle is still controllable, move toward a shoulder, parking lot, or another location away from moving traffic.

STEP 2 — Stop and evaluate your surroundings.
Before opening your door, look at traffic around you. Don't automatically get out just because the vehicle has stopped.

STEP 3 — Decide whether it's safer to stay inside.
If you're stopped beside fast-moving interstate traffic and your vehicle is safely out of the travel lane, staying buckled inside may be safer than standing beside the vehicle. If the vehicle is in an active lane, smoking, on fire, or otherwise unsafe, get yourself to a safer location if you can do so safely and call 911.

STEP 4 — Make yourself visible.
Keep your hazard lights on. If it's safe to exit, put on your reflective vest. Only use warning triangles when you can place them without exposing yourself to moving traffic.

STEP 5 — Pinpoint your location BEFORE calling for a tow.
Look for an exit number, mile marker, interstate number, direction of travel, nearby business, intersection, or landmark.

Instead of saying:

❌ “I'm somewhere on I-64.”

Try:

✅ “I'm on I-64 East, just past Exit __, on the right shoulder.”

That information can make it much easier to locate you.

STEP 6 — Don't attempt a roadside repair in a dangerous location.
Changing a tire yourself might be reasonable in a safe parking lot. Doing the same thing inches from interstate traffic is completely different. No tire is worth risking your life.

STEP 7 — Call for the right help.
If you're injured, your vehicle is blocking traffic, you're in immediate danger, or there's a fire or serious crash, call 911. For a mechanical breakdown in a safe location, contact a professional towing or roadside-assistance provider.

STEP 8 — Tell the towing company exactly what's wrong.
Explain whether you have a flat tire, dead battery, accident damage, lockout, overheating vehicle, or a vehicle that won't start. Also mention whether the vehicle is AWD, an EV, stuck in a ditch, or otherwise requires special towing equipment.

🚛 Save Our Number Before You Need It

Don't wait until you're stranded on I-64 or I-264 searching your phone for help.

📱 Save this contact now:

Angel’s Towing & Recovery
📞 757-335-3455

Providing professional towing and roadside assistance in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake, including:

Towing • Jump Starts • Flat Tire Assistance • Lockouts • Fuel Delivery • Winch-Outs & Vehicle Recovery

💬 Quick Challenge

Go check your vehicle right now. How many of these 10 emergency items do you already have?

If you're missing a few, this weekend is a great time to build your emergency kit. 🚗🧰

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