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Indispensable and mandatory in the car when you travel

With all the holidays approaching in the coming season, I thought it might be useful to dedicate a blog to everything that is indispensable in the car when you go on a trip. To make the article complete, I also include the list of what is mandatory to have in the car. Whether you are going on a trip or not, a number of things are very handy and a number of things are mandatory to have in the car.

Table of Contents

What-to-have in the car

First let me start with all the items that you should have with you in the car, just because it is handy. Of course there is still a difference in what you take with you (or what is standard in the car). This may have to do with your family composition, for example, because for a baby you take different things in the car than for older children. Anyway, I did my best to make the list as complete as possible for you. Do you have additions to what you should have with you in the car? Let us know in a comment below the blog!

Which is always handy to have with you in the car

  1. Navigation (became indispensable as far as I'm concerned).
  2. Pen and paper, just in your glove compartment, always come in handy.
  3. Auto parts smartphone holder24, putting your phone down is really sooo 2018.
  4. Spare glasses if you wear glasses or contact lenses.
  5. Sunglasses.
  6. Water and something to snack on before a long journey or if you unexpectedly get stuck in traffic.
  7. Flashlight and pocket knife.
  8. Spare wheel.
  9. Some ransom (for short-term parking, for example).
  10. Tow cable.
  11. Charger for your phone.
  12. Flat tire kit (I have no idea what to do with this, but it seems to be very useful according to the man 😉 ).
  13. Empty jerry can (suppose you run out of fuel… my father never left home by car without it).
  14. Umbrella… how many times have I misunderstood this!
  15. Chewing gum… and not just for fresh breath.
  16. Old towel.
  17. Strong tape (duck tape or something).
  18. USB charger for multiple cables.
  19. Any blind spot mirror.
  20. Car seat blocker; to prevent something from falling between the car seats that you can hardly reach.
  21. Hand disinfectant.

Why I find the above-mentioned items useful to take-with me

On a number of points, I have personally experienced the lack of them…

Point 3:Don't have a smartphone holder? An elastic band is also fine!

Point 6:years ago we experienced this on winter sports. Due to an avalanche we were stuck with the car for hours without anything around. It really sucks if you don't have food and drink with you, especially with children in the car.

Point 15:in the distant past I once 'taped' the radiator of my car. It was an old rusty box, as was that radiator that started to steam through a hole. That chewing gum worked fine .

Point 17:very important if you have several children with you in the car, to prevent a fight.

Mandatory in car

It may differ per country what you are required to have in your car. That is why the items below are just good to always have in your car as standard. Whether it is mandatory or not in the car in the country where you are going on holiday, you will always have it with you.

  1. Safety vest (for all occupants).
  2. First aid kit.
  3. Warning triangle.
  4. Safety hammer / seat belt cutter.
  5. Winter tires in the winter season (not mandatory in your car, but under your car, for example in Germany).
  6. Car seat (children up to 1.35 m in height).
  7. Green card (by no means mandatory in all countries, in some countries the paper version is mandatory, but in any case very handy to have in your car as standard).

In this blog you will find more tips for a safe car holiday.

Handy-to-carry-if-you-have-children

If you have children, there are a number of other things handy to have with you in the car. We therefore always have the following in the car as standard.

  1. Plastic bags neatly folded behind the passenger seat (disguised vomit bags).
  2. Wet tissues. Why? You can read that in this hilarious blog about wipes.
  3. To prevent motion sickness:Primatour or Sea Band wristbands.
  4. Sunshades for the rear.
  5. Car organizer; especially useful if you go on holiday by car, it is not necessary for a short drive.
  6. Warm blankets for when you stop on the road, want to have a picnic or when you drive at night.
  7. A seat belt cushion so that the children can fall asleep comfortably.
  8. Games on the go.

With the baby in the car? Please take this with you

With a baby in the car, you probably need other things that are handy for on the road. If you are going out with the car and your baby, then the following is certainly useful to take with you on a trip. Don't have it yet? Then I would really consider buying it.

  1. Car mirror:super handy to be able to see your baby while it is backwards in the maxi-cosi. This way you can check on the road whether everything is going well.
  2. Teat. Most babies sleep well in the car, but if it doesn't work and you are on the road for a long time, a pacifier is indispensable.
  3. Food and (spare) diapers, but that seems to speak for itself.
  4. The Maxi Cosi Axissfix for safety and convenience.

Do you have any items that you think are indispensable to have in the car (with or without children)? Let us know!