When you are navigating the roadways, it's important to remember that anything can happen to you and your vehicle at any time. Your vehicle could breakdown, you could get a flat tire, you could be in an accident or you may come across one. When any of these events happen to you, it helps if you are prepared. One of the ways that you can be prepared for any eventuality is to have an emergency kit in your vehicle. You can purchase them at a hardware or outdoors store ? a compact emergency kit that fits nicely into your vehicle without being in the way. They usually contain candles, an emergency blanket, flares, road cones, waterproof matches, and a flashlight or emergency light source.



There are, of course, many uses for a flashlight or emergency light sources in your vehicle, especially if you are in a collision, have a flat tire, or if your vehicle breaks down. Where any light source will come in handy, most experts recommend having a LED flashlight or light source in your car because of they have a longer battery and bulb light than traditional flashlights, have a brighter, further-reaching light beam, and come in smaller, compact forms that are easier to carry in your car.

For a vehicle breakdown, a flashlight or emergency light source can help you:

?Flag down traffic for assistance

?Keep your vehicle visible if you have no working lights. You can use the flashlight to act as a taillight. This will allow oncoming traffic to see you and be able to get out of the way and avoid hitting you.

?Act as a flashing signal light ? many of the emergency light sources have a flashing light on them as well that can act like hazard lights on your vehicle, once again alerting other drivers of your whereabouts.

?See what's wrong with your vehicle. If you have no power, you may be able to fix it yourself, but it's quite difficult to do on a dark road at night with no light. A flashlight or emergency light source can help you look into the problem with your vehicle and maybe even aid you in making the repairs.

?Help you fix a flat tire ? while the flashlight won't be able to loosen those lug nuts for you, it can certainly shed some light on the situation. Also, because you will be crouching and sitting on the side of the road, other motorists may not see you. Having a flashlight or emergency light source will alert other drivers that you are also on the roadway and increase your safety while you are changing the tire.

In the event that you are in an accident, a flashlight can come in handy for many reasons. It can help to survey the damage of your vehicle or the other vehicle or vehicles involved in the collision. You can also use it to flag down other vehicles and warn them of your presence on the roadway. In some cases, you may also need to navigate uncertain terrain, such as a field, either to get to a collision scene to help, or escape from one. A flashlight can help light your path and avoid falling, tripping and other injuries that walking over uneven terrain could cause.

Flashlights and emergency light sources are very helpful for many reasons ? and having one in your vehicle, that is reliable and works, is important. You never know when you're going to need a flashlight or emergency light source.

~Ben Anton, 2008