10 Things You Should Always Keep In Your Car

Here are the 10 essential things that you should always keep in your vehicle. You never know, they may just save your life. The best part is whether you have an SUV or a mini cooper, you will be able to shove these things somewhere into your car.

1. First Aid Kit: This one is pretty self explanatory. First aid kits contain the basic items needed to patch up an open cut or wound (band aids, gauzes, etc.). It's always good to keep one in your house as well as your  vehicle.
2. Flashlight: Power outages are very common, especially during storm seasons. Keeping a flashlight in your car will allow you to see in the dark better, which is especially important if it's nighttime and your car happens to break down.
3. Matches: You never know when you'll need to start a fire. A lighter (which is probably more convenient) can be used in place of matches.
4. Energy Bars: These are a good, healthy snack and can provide you with essential vitamins that you will need in case you are unable to reach other sources of food. They're also very delicious.
5. Water Bottles: The longest that a human can survive without water is about 8 to 10 days. So water is a definite necessity.
6. Weather Radio: It's always important to have a radio as a source of information to let you know what's going on outside. Information about storms provided by the weather stations can be vital in your decisions as to whether you should drive or not.
7. Flares or Reflective Triangle: Good to use when pulled over on the side of the road in the dark.
8. Maps: When your cell phone service gets lost, you don't want to get lost too. Keep a paper map in your glove box for navigating when you're not quite sure where you are.
9. Ice Scraper: This one is less relevant to those of us who live in the sunny state of Florida... but better safe than sorry, right?
10. Seat Belt Cutter: This is possibly the most important item on the list. Make sure to keep this in your glove box where you have easy access to it, not the trunk. If you're in an accident and locked into your seat belt, this could save your life. Seat belt cutters give you the perfect amount of sharpness and leverage to slice through the average seat belt. You can buy one fairly cheap on a website such as amazon.com or by clicking on this link. A recent article based out of California told about a mother and 17 month old daughter who were in a car accident. Their car flipped 7 times and landed upside down in a canal. They both drowned because they were unable to remove their seat belts to get out of the vehicle. Don't underestimate the important of these items. They're not "extra junk", they're your safety protection.

Sources: http://lifehacker.com/30-essential-things-you-should-keep-in-your-car-1263514115