Important Take-Alongs For Your Autumn Adventures

Get ready for the challenges of autumn driving by keeping a few essential safety items in your vehicle.

Here's our list of important take-alongs for a safe, autumn adventure: 

Wiper Blades: Windshield wiper blades aren’t used for much of the year, so it’s easy to forget about them. A fall storm could be the first time you flip on the windshield wipers in months, only to see your windshield coated with a mucky haze of dirt and grime. Wipers can be damaged by sun and exposure to harsh weather, trips to the car wash, road debris, even the ozone layer, drying out the rubber element and causing it to crack and fray. Knowing the make, model and year of your vehicle can help you find the size of replacement blades at your local automotive store or dealer.

LED Flashlight: Superior to traditional bulbs, LED lights provide long-lasting, consistent and powerful beams of light. Some flashlights have multiple modes such as a flashing red signal to alert oncoming traffic.

Reflective vest: Don’t be caught stranded on the side of the road without one. A reflective vest alerts other drivers to your presence and can be a life-saving accessory, especially at night or in foul weather.

Jumper cables: These should already be in your trunk, but now’s the time to grab a set in case you don’t. Those first cold mornings after a long, hot summer can spell death for a battery. Jumper cables can help you restart the car and get to a service center.

Portable battery charger: Portable battery chargers are either powered by lead-acid batteries (same as what’s under your hood) or lithium-ion batteries (the ones that in your mobile devices). Models built on lead-acid batteries are bulky and often unwieldy, but typically last longer between charges than their lithium-ion counterparts. The lead-acid versions sometimes include a 120-volt electrical outlet, which increases the device’s versatility. Lithium-ion-powered models are the size of a smartphone. They can be stored in the glove box or sit in the center console, charging your mobile devices from a USB port (if it has one).

Window cleaning wipes: Autumn harvest means dusty windows and insect splatter. Windshield wiper blades are a good start but don't clear the entire windshield and rear glass. They also don't help with side windows. Keep a clear view of the road whenever you travel by packing a container of vehicle windshield wipes.:

Flares: Pack four, 15-minute flares for emergencies, yours or someone-else's. You never know when you may come across a standed driver on a darkened road. Flares cna help alert oncoming traffic.

Reflective warning triangle: Reflective signs also help alert oncoming traffic if your vehicle is stranded.