What your car should always carry

Always carry in the car: a spare tire in good condition (check it every three months), a working jack and lug wrench, jumper cables, a flashlight, and a basic first-aid kit.

Add a phone charger independent of the car battery and a bit of cash kept separate from your wallet — for cases where a card terminal doesn't work or there's no signal for digital payments.

Make sure your phone always has emergency contacts set up accessible from the lock screen (most operating systems allow this), so anyone can use it to call for help if you can't.