1. Chargers
Do NOT forget chargers on your next road trip. You can think back a few years when car chargers for your smartphones and tablets were hard to come by.
You might be in the middle of the desert or way up in the mountains when – kaput! Your smartphone goes dead. That’s simply dangerous.
If you’re like most people, it’s difficult to imagine getting from Point A to Point B without GPS. What did kids do in the backseat before they could watch movies and message friends on Snapchat?
Yes, you need several chargers in your car for your summer road trip. Try this incredible multi-prong USB charger before supplies run out.
Road Trip 5 USB Car Charger, $29.99, Amazon.
2. Electric Portable Cooler and Food Warmer
How convenient is this? You’re on a long road trip and, of course, everyone wants snacks.
You may want a cold soda, but your traditional ice cooler doesn’t keep anything icy cold. It might keep snacks cool but you’ll have ice cubes all over the place and water sloshing about.
Instead, try this electric portable cooler and food warmer. It has the capacity to hold the equivalent of 12 soda bottles.
Just plug it into your car’s 12V DC outlet and select cooling or warming. It cools 36 degrees and warms up to 140 degrees.
Portable Cooler or Food Warmer, save 20%, $87.99 on Amazon.
3. Flashlight Car Jump Start
You’re going to eventually have car trouble. We all have those days when your car won’t start or you’re on the side of a dark road with your head under the hood.
Don’t get stranded on your family’s next road trip. Make sure you have a portable jump start like this one, which can jump-start your car up to 20 times on a single battery charge.
12V Car Jump Starter Flashlight, $119 on Amazon.
4. Car Escape Tool
The last thing you want to think about while daydreaming about summer vacation is getting in a car accident or finding yourself trapped in your car. But that happens, so you must be prepared.
Add a car escape tool to your don’t-forget list. This handy tool should be in all of your cars.
It’s small at 2.93 inches by 1.5 inches. But it’s powerful to slice through a seatbelt or smash a window.
Car Escape Emergency Tool, $14.95 on Amazon.
5. Dash Cam
You’ve probably heard about dash cams. Police officers install internet-connected cameras to record their interactions with people.
Yet, they’re affordable and so easy to use that everyone should have them. You can record accidents so you can prove your innocence.
You can record criminals stealing your car. Plus, you can keep tabs on the teenage drivers in your home.
But don’t get an ordinary dash cam. The Dash Cam Pro with Night Vision stands well above the pack with its 140-degree angle camera, collision warning system and night-vision technology.
Komando® Dash Cam Pro with Night Vision, $154 on Amazon.
6. LED Emergency Roadside Flashing Flares
You know what to do if your car breaks down on the side of the road. Keep your family and kids in a safe place, either in the car or far off the road.
Then, you get out your flares to alert people zooming by that you need help. They’ll call 911 for you or stop to make sure you’re safe.
It used to be that you’d lug out those old, dusty roadside flares. You may have had them in your car for years, so they’re damp and mushy. There’s no chance you’ll be igniting them.
Fast-forward to the 21st century. Try state-of-the-art, battery-powered, super-bright LED flashing flares that shine 360 degrees.
WISLIGHT LED Emergency Roadside Flashing Flares Safety Strobe Light, $38.99 on Amazon
7. Mobile Video System
Do not leave home without a video system, especially if you’re traveling with kids (or a grumpy spouse)!
You’ve seen other cars passing by with passengers watching movies or TV shows. Try one like NOAUKA 10.1″ Ultra Thin Portable Digital HD TFT LCD Headrest DVD Player.
It has a super thin 10.1-inch high-definition LCD touchscreen. Its audio system wirelessly connects with your FM transmitter.
NOAUKA 10.1″ Ultra Thin Portable Digital HD TFT LCD Headrest DVD Player, $102.99 on Amazon
8. Satellite Communicator
Technology is incredible, isn’t it? Just think about how much safer your family is when traveling compared to the days when there were no cellphones.
Now, tech has taken a giant step forward with mobile communication. We’re talking about satellite communication.
Garmin’s inReach SE+, for example, has worldwide iridium satellite coverage for two-way texting. It also offers peace of mind for all your family and friends with its SOS emergency signal.
Garmin inReach SE+, save $50, $349.99 on Amazon
9. Water Purifier
You must have a water purifier. Sure, it’s one of those items you’ll almost never put on a travel list.
But it’s critically important to have one in your car. Just think about previous road trips, whether you drove to another country where water quality isn’t great or to the middle of the desert where water is scarce.
With a water purifier that uses a UV light, you can kill nearly 100 percent of harmful organisms. Try one like SteriPen Adventurer Opti UV Water Purifier that’s portable and reusable for up to 8,000 liters of water.
SteriPen Adventurer Opti UV Water Purifier, save $9.05, now $80.90 on Amazon
10. Trauma Kit
Your next road trip will be fun and your family will have adventures that you’ll cherish for the rest of your lives. But life happens and you need to be prepared for the not-so-great moments.
You might have a small emergency kit in your car with bandages and antiseptic washcloths. However, you need to be prepared for more serious mishaps.
A good trauma kit includes burn gel, eye wash, gauze and blood stop treatment. You’ll want to have a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope, too.
Drive Safe Out There!