Travelling on your own might be a blessing ―you stop only when you want to, you can do almost anything you like, listen to your favourite kind of music and no one will bother you. However, solo travelling is also accompanied by plenty of risks and dangers, especially during the night or when driving through abandoned places.
Although foot travelling might be more dangerous, driving is still risky, especially since accidents are most likely to happen when reaching bigger towns, for example. At the same time, driving at night is highly associated with falling asleep at the steering wheel, also known as drowsy driving.
But if you’re brave enough to drive alone, you must be prepared to ensure your safety and avoid car issues. Therefore, we present a few practical gadgets to ensure safe travelling.
Cell phone signal booster
If the areas you’re going to are known to have weak signals, or you just want to make sure you can use your phone, a cell phone signal booster is essential. Such a device can get you out of trouble as you can call for help quickly, but if your car gets stuck somewhere and your phone is out of signal, that would be a serious problem.
- When looking for a signal booster, it’s essential to consider the following aspects;
- Vehicle application. Whether you have an SUV, a truck or an RV, you need to search for suitable product applications;
- The number of users. If you only travel alone, a cradle booster is more than enough, but for more users, a multi-user vehicle amplifier is necessary;
- Outside signal strength for both urban and rural areas;
- Installation. While you can install some devices on your own, others require a complex installation process;
Rear-view mirror camera
Everybody makes mistakes, but you must minimise them when driving to ensure your safety and others. A rear-view mirror camera can help you avoid such minor errors, especially since vehicles are at risk of accidents due to blind spots.
Such a device allows for enough visibility to park safely, back up quickly and record what’s happening in front of and at the back of the car. A digital rear-view mirror is far better than a regular mirror because:
- It can increase range through improved aerodynamics;
- It provides wide-angle lenses;
- It can be adjusted to allow better visibility in any outside environments;
However, you need to be aware of these tools’ prices because they can be pretty pricey and prone to malfunctions, making them even more expensive to replace. You need to balance the advantages, and disadvantages and decide if a rear-view mirror is really that essential for your travelling.
First aid kit
Although most cars are already provided with a first aid kit, they might not offer all the tools necessary. Unfortunately, road accidents can happen to anyone, and if you’re part of one, you could make a claim and calculate compensation to regain all financial losses. But right after the accident, your priority is to care for your wounds and eventually save someone else’s life, so a complete first-aid kit for your car is vital. It should contain the following:
- Bandages of multiple different sizes;
- Sterile gauze pads and rolls;
- Cotton pads and cotton-tipped swabs;
- Antiseptic wipe packets and solution;
- Tweezers and scissors;
- Adhesive tape and safety pins;
- CPR breathing mask;
- Disposable gloves;
Of course, learning how to use the items from the kit is mandatory. Besides checking for expired products every now and then, you should also be able to use what’s in the equipment if the time comes and know what not to do. For example, you shouldn’t bandage the person too tight because you might constrict blood circulation, and you should always wear gloves when taking care of someone else’s wound so that you don’t come in contact with bodily fluids.
Engine diagnostic tool
Solo travelling can put you in situations when you have to solve a problem by yourself. For example, when the engine lights are on, and you don’t understand what could possibly be the issue, you should have an engine diagnostic tool around. Such a device can scan for:
- Fluid capacities
- Maintenance reset
- Scoping sensors
- Multi-system issues
- Multi-code problems
- Remove or replace components
An engine diagnostic tool can help you solve vehicle issues before aggravating them by accurately identifying them. This might save your life and cut the expensive costs of repairing your car. For example, if you monitor your car’s condition frequently and notice a small issue, you could fix it yourself, which will help you extend your travelling and reassure the vehicle is in a good state. Moreover, these diagnostic tools are highly compatible with most vehicles, so you won’t need another one if you intend to get a new car at some point.
Portable air compressor pump
Nothing’s worse than a flat tire on an empty road, possibly in the middle of the night and somewhere far from a city. Although chances are you’re a spontaneous person since you travel alone, you might not be that happy to sleep in your car or wait for help. A portable air compressor pump is best and can be used even if you’re not a professional. This device uses your car’s power and refills the air in your tire. Such digital tools usually have an LCD and auto-shutoff that will help inflate your tires perfectly so you won’t risk overdoing them. A portable air compressor pump is an excellent tool for safety, mainly because:
- It’s compact regardless of size and shape;
- It can also be used as a cleaning device;
- It produces less noise than regular air compressors;
Wrapping up
Being safe while driving means respecting all rules and being careful on the road. At the same time, since an unexpected situation might occur, it’s best to be prepared with safety tools that can get you out of trouble and allow you to get to a safe space until you can properly fix your car.
