If you drive a car, sooner or later an emergency or emergency situation will occur on your travels or on the highway or freeway. Count on it. Of course you cannot anticipate each and every possible mishap. However being prepared is the basic rule of thumb for most experienced motorists and professional drivers.

Generally it can be said that the two most frequent causes of breakdowns are either running out of gas and flat tires. While it can be said that in 2010 with cell phones readily available as a standard communications and safety for most motorists and the general public that help in the form of local CAA, AAA, auto manufacturer or big box store roadside assistance or available tow truck can be had readily easily if not in a flash, that it never hurts to carry an empty, gas can - just in case of emergencies like this. Either it may come in handy for you, or to help out another stranded motorist on the road. A word of caution though. Never carry that gasoline container full of gas. It’s a safety and fire hazard in your trunk.

If you do own winter tire chains, it is best to keep them in your car’s trunk , or in the case of a pick up truck “toolbox” or in your truck’s or SUV’s passenger or storage compartment areas, throughout the entire winter time period. Stow a four by four plastic tarp near the chains, and perhaps an old blanket as well to kneel on, in case you are forced to install or remove your own.

Since the do-it-yourselfer mechanic will undoubtedly be confronted with metric nuts, bolts and fluid capacities metric tools are now essential to any competent home and auto repair tinkerer. Although many metric nuts and bolts seem to be about the same size as standard (now sometime referred to as “non-metric), these are not interchangeable. Do not use metric wrenches on imperial nuts and bolts or “imperial “wrenches on metric nuts - except in real and absolute emergencies. It can be said and noted that a wrench that is only slightly too large is likely to round off the corners of the fastener and make it difficult to remove. Other tools such as ratchet extensions, punches and chisels whose exact sizes are not crucial to their function are often sold in the US in non-metric forms only.

When it comes to roadside emergencies and road-side repairs nothing makes up for a little bit of preparation, foresight and planning ahead of time. A major function of city and municipal fire departments is not only fighting fires - it is preventing tragedies and difficulties with necessary as well as essential tools, practice and training.

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