EMERGENCY SAFETY TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR VEHICLE

Emergency Safety Tools and Equipment for Your Vehicle

Each and every day, vehicles breakdown and accidents occurs. Drivers and other road users have no control over such events. That is why it is necessary to prepare yourself for such eventualities adequately so that you don’t find yourself wanting.

In this article we will look at various vehicle accessories and equipment which helps the vehicle user in case of an accident or a breakdown.

First aid box (emergency kit)

First Aid Kit

First aid refers to the medical attention that is usually administered to a person immediately after an injury occurs and at scene. The first aid kits contain the necessary drugs and other things which is used for treatment before the patient is sent to a medical facility.

A standard first aid kit should contain the following

• Gauze pads (at least 4 by 4 inches)
• Two large gauze pads (at least 8 by 10 inches)
• A box of adhesive bandages
• One gauze roller bandage
• Two triangular bandages
• Wound cleaning agent
• Scissors
• At least one blanket
• Tweezers
• Adhesive tape
• Latex gloves
• Resuscitation equipment (such as resuscitation bag, or airway or pocket mask)
• Two elastic wraps
• A splint
• Directions for requesting emergency assistance

Spare tire kit

This consist of a spare tire (space saver tire) and its accompanying tools which a driver uses to replace a burst or deflated tire. They include the following

Spare Tire Kit

·         Spare tire

·         Hydraulic or mechanical jack

·         Wheel spanner

·         A manual (to assist in changing especially for special wheel nut)

Portable Tire inflator

Portable tire inflators are single use devices intended to provide a quick temporary solution to drivers who experience a flat tire. These devices seal the punctured tire and then re-inflate it with pressured gas, providing enough pressure to allow the vehicle to be driven for a short period of time on at a low speed. The driver can then visit the nearest vulcanising shop.

Portable Chargeable Tire inflator

Portable jump starter

Jump starters are portable battery devices that allow for jump starting a vehicle. It somehow operates in similar fashion as the jump start cable but this do not require an additional vehicle to provide the needed power to boost the dead vehicle’s battery.

Jump Starter Kit

Reflective triangle

Reflective Triangles

It is an equilateral (of equal sides) triangle of 600 mm in size which is made of red reflective. It is placed on the side of the road by anyone to warn other road users of a crash or breakdown ahead. Below is a link which illustrates correct positioning of reflective triangles in various situations.

“www.cdllife.com/2017/placing-warning-triangles-properly/ “

Fire extinguishers

Fire Extinguisher

Fire extinguishers are literally used to quench a fire before a professional fire fighter or team arrives at the accident scene. There are portable sizes for all models of vehicles and different ones for different kinds of fires.  Visit a certified safety shop for recommended fire extinguisher.

How to use a fire Extinguisher

Emergency numbers

I hardly and rarely see emergency numbers in public buses in my day to day commuting. This is something which should be visible in all vehicles and public places. No one knows when an accident will happen and we should know whom to call for help.

Emergency number in Ghana

Knowledge

In all the things written above, if a driver or a passenger do not know how to use or apply correctly, then it is off no use. Many a times accident victims do not die through the incident but it is how they are treated after it that worsens the situation because bystanders have no idea on how to rescue a dying person. Transport owners and unions should organise training programs frequently for their members to upgrade their knowledge.

In as much as one cannot control the occurrence of an accident, with the necessary emergency and safety gear coupled with the requisite knowledge of their application, fatalities associated with accident can gravely be reduced.

About the Author

Edmond Nana Cabir Flynt is a vehicle sales advisor and consultant based in Takoradi - Ghana. He is also a volunteer, an entrepreneur, and an auto show radio presenter.

For further enquiry, consultation, advertisement, product promotion (vehicle related), vehicle and accessory sale, contact him on the following numbers +233(0)209461930 /+233(0)548383591 and email nanaflynt@gmail.com

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Editor

Matthew Odoom Ntsiful - He has moonlighted as an editor since his undergraduate days at University of Ghana, where he edited papers for fellow students. He recently made a career decision to become a full time freelance editor and writer. He doubles as a Sales and Marketing consultant with concentration on Digital Marketing.