We spend a lot of time driving. What you need to know and what you need to have in your car that could save your life. FRom the basics to more advanced gear-- from basic to Gladiator to Mad Max!

1. The Average American Spends
101 Minutes a Day In Our Car.
What Should We Do To Be
Properly Prepared?
Updated 2022

2. Over the course of our lifetime, we will
average 3 to 4 accidents; most will not
be fatal.
Besides accidents, we will all
experience breakdowns, flat tires,
detours, getting lost, running out of
gas, having to help another motorist,
etc.
Why?

3. Combine how much time we spend in
our car, with the odds of something
going wrong, and it makes sense that
we be prepared for potential problems.
Why?

4. Buy a pre-packaged Roadside Emergency
Kit. (click on image for link)
The Simplest Way?

5. 10' Jumper Cables Tow Rope with 10,000 lbs
capacity
Reflective Safety vest 100% cotton gloves
multi use 4" wrench reinforced wire connectors
replacement fuses electrical tape
First Aid Kit with plasters, gauze, antiseptic cleaning wipes,
adhesive tape, non adhesive sterile pad, cotton swabs
plastic cable ties safety whistle
compass 8pc Hex Wrench
LED squeeze rechargeable flashlight, no batteries needed
electric current detector needle nose pliers
aluminum foil blanket rain poncho
polyester carry bag with reflective warning triangle
That Kit Contains

6. Even with that kit (or making sure you have
all items on that list), there are some other
things you should always have.
But—
Drivers license.
Registration.
Proof of Insurance.
Insurance company contact number.
Water.
Cell phone charger cable.
Extra bulbs for turn, brake and backup lights.
Work gloves.

7. The following slides provide an extensive list
of items where you can build your own kit
and also items you could have beyond those
in the previous kit.
How much or how little you want to carry
depends on space and your personal
preferences.
You can go light or you can Gladiator mode
or you can go Mad Max mode.
Additional Items

8. Gladiator Mode

9. Remember, unlike in Walking Dead, gas
goes bad. There are no hard and fast
rules on time (use 6 months for gas, a
year with Stabil added).
I add Stabil whenever I fill up my spare
gas cans and I rotate them every three
months.
I always top off when I reach half a
tank.
Gas with a lower level of Ethanol lasts
longer.
Extra Gas

10. Put it in any spare gas cans.
Also helps winterize things such
as lawn mowers if you don’t
completely drain the gas.
STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer

11. I have several Rotopax gas, water and
equipment containers. They are stackable.
Below is a four gallon gas container.
Click on image for link.
RotoPax

12. Click on images for links
RotoPax
Rotopax
1.75 Gallon
Water
Rotopax
1.75 Gallon
Gas
Rotopax
2 Gallon
Equipment holder

13. RotoPax
ll-bed rack on my Gladiator allows me to mount all my Rotopax o
4.5 gallon gas
3.5 gallon gas
1.5 gallon gas
2 two gallon water cans
of the full bed rack. I have five mounts, but I can double each mou

14. RotoPax
Remember that gas expands and contract
with the temperature.
Do not place Rotopax or any gas containers
flat. You need to release pressure as the
temperature changes and you can’t do that if
it’s flat.
Never leave gas containers open— the gas
will quickly go bad.

15. At the very least, carry some water inside your car.
I recommend a case of bottled water in the trunk.
Remember, what you have in your car is also at your
work and your home and your school, wherever you
drive and park, so it’s part of your overall emergency
supply.
A rule of thumb in an emergency: a case of water can
supply a person for three days.
Be very careful though— do not have loose water
bottles rolling around on the floor. One could stuck
under the brake or gas pedal.
Water

16. I carry water in an MSR Dromeday Water Reservoir
inside the Jeep— often that ends up being for the dogs
in their water bowl after a hike or run.
I also carry a couple of bottles of Gatorade in the rear
cup holder. I have Datrex Emergency Survival Water
Pouches stashed in various places.
They last a long time and you don’t have to keep
worrying about replenishing them.
Water

17. •I have the filter on the left inside my Jeep.
•The one on the right is gravity fed.
Water

18. I recommend keeping a basic Grab-n-Go Bag in your
trunk or storage area. It contains a number of basics
that you will find useful if you break down. Since you
are almost always where you car is, your bag is always
with you.
Below is the one I bought my son to keep in his car.
Grab-n-Go Bag

19. Fire Extinguisher

20. This unique tool does two life-
saving things:
It can cut your seat belt. Often in a
crash, it is difficult to unbuckle.
It will also allow you to break your
side window to get out.
The link gets a package of two.
UPDATE: On some never cars, the
windows are designed to
automatically go down if water
reaches a certain level in the
vehicle. Make sure you check your
owner’s manual.
They do not work on tempered
glass (front and back) or laminated.
LifeHammer

21. Jumper cables require another
vehicle.
This compact Jump Starter can
get you going if you’re all alone.
It’s also easier than using jumper
cables.
It holds a charge for a long time. It
can recharge your cell phone and
other devices. It also has a built in
flashlight.
I’ve found it to be a very
worthwhile investment and have
used it.
Battery Jump Starter

22. Worth it for an emergency.
Fix-A-Flat

23. I carry a pair of broken in hiking boots with thick socks
stuffed in them inside my Jeep.
I hadn’t thought of this until Atlanta had a huge ice
storm and many people had to abandon their cars and
walk home— in their work shoes.
Recently we had large traffic jams on I-95 in a
snowstorm and people were stuck for many hours.
So carry a pair of broken in boots or walking/running
shoes just in case.
Boots/Walking Shoes/Socks

24. Blanket/Sleeping bag— I keep my
sleeping bag in the Jeep all winter.
Snow Shovel
Ice Scraper
Poncho
Weather Related

25. Do you have a spare tire?
Is it a regular or temporary?
Where is your jack and lug wrench?
Do you know how to change a tire?
Where is your battery?
Do you know how to hook up jumper cables correctly?
How many miles do you have left when your gas
warning light goes on? (But you never got there, right,
because you always top off at halfway)
Things To Know

26. We rely on GPS, but always have a physical road map.
MAP

27. Location Apps
There are several topo map Apps you can get. I’ve used a
number over the years but the best one I’ve found is
Gaia. The basic app is free and then there is a premium
membership.
Gaia allows you to layer various types of maps, such as
National Forest Service Roads with Topographic with
Public Lands, and adjust it to your preferences.
The premium, which is discounted 20% via my affiliate
link, is $32 for a year, but for the number and types of
maps you get, it is definitely worth it.
(All proceeds from my affiliate links, including Amazon, go
to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation).

28. Location Apps
One useful thing to using any map app is to download the
map tiles you want to use beforehand (for when you’re
out in the wilds with no signal) and learning how to use
the app before you need it.
Gaia also sends interesting and useful email updates on
various outdoor activities that are very informative from
outdoor experts.

29. To the left is an example of some of the many
maps you can download and use. You can
have multiple maps on screen at the same
time, adjusting them as you need. In this
case, I have the US Forestry Service Map at
max along with USFS roads and trails along
with public lands. I can bring up hidden layers
as needed. Also note the Historic Topo for
1930 which is fun to play with. You also have
National Park Service Visitor, topo maps,
streets maps, weather and more.
They even recently introduced latest satellite
imagery, which is by far, the most up to date
layer.
There are dozens of different types of maps
available to premium members.

30. I have two version of Gaia live, one on the console and
the other on my iPad. I use different layers and scales
to give a complete picture.

31. If you take medication, add a pill fob to your keychain or
put one in your glove compartment with important
medication.
It also is a good backup if you forget to renew on time.
Keychain Pill Fob

32. I also had my
Wrangler loaded for
cross-country, out
in the wilderness,
survival stuff.
I once had some
maintenance
trouble 120 miles
from the closest
paved road in
southeast Utah and
was quite glad I
was prepared.
The following are
neat things that can
come in handy.

33. GoTreads. These look cheap, but have actually turned
out to be very useful on occasion, particularly when
dealing with a tire spinning in mud. Get one (left) or two
(right)
Cool Gus Jeep Stuff

34. Winch and associated gear.
I carry a pair of tire blocks since Jeeps don’t weigh
much and instead of winching that dead tree, I could be
pulling the Jeep to the tree.
Universal Snatch Block
Extra straps
Cool Gus Jeep Stuff

35. Siphon hose.
Funnel (for gas)
Tie downs
Bivy Sack/blankets/sleeping bag
Rain pants and Jacket
Wool cap
Assorted zip ties
Extra batteries
Star sockets (jeep owners will understand)
Toolkit
Socket Set
Cool Gus Jeep Stuff

36. Click on image for a
Presentation on Outfitting For
Gladiator mode

37. More Free Information
I constantly update free, downloadable
slideshows like this on my web site for
preparation and survival and other
topics.
FREE SLIDESHOWS
Also, I conduct Area Study workshops
for those interested in properly
preparing for their specific
circumstances.

38. AMAZON
This book walks you through your personal situation,
your home, and your Area of Operations.

39. AMAZON

40. AMAZON

42. New York Times bestselling author, is a graduate of West
Point and former Green Beret. He’s had over 80 books
published, including the #1 bestselling series Green Berets,
Time Patrol, Area 51, and Atlantis. He’s sold over 5 million
books. He was born in the Bronx and has traveled the world.
He’s lived on an island off the east coast, an island off the
west coast, in the Rocky Mountains, the Smoky Mountains
and other places, including time in East Asia studying martial
arts.
He was an instructor and course developer/writer for years
at the JFK Special Warfare Center and School which trains
Green Berets and also runs the SERE school:
Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape.
www.bobmayer.com