If you're looking for the perfect gift for a college student in your life, you may want to consider a roadside emergency kit. There are fully assembled ones available, but you can easily put one together yourself. This will give you an opportunity to add a personalized touch to the items you include.

With this thoughtful gift, your good thoughts and consideration for your student's well-being will go with them everywhere the road takes them.

Putting Together a Roadside Emergency Kit Gift

roadside emergency kit

One of the best ways to stay safe while driving is to always be prepared. And you can help your college student be road ready by providing them with the right tools.

Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council has said, "A roadside kit is easy to assemble, not too expensive and extremely useful, plus it could be a life saver in the event of an emergency."

You can put all of your roadside emergency kit items into a small duffle bag or a rubber storage tote. If the college student who will be receiving the gift likes a certain sports team, you may want purchase a themed bag. Or, you can always find a tote that features their school colors.

Here are the items that you should include:

  • Jumper Cables: There are many different types of jumper cables available at varying price levels. However, you can get a very good, basic set for about $20 or less.
  • Emergency Flares: Newer flares on the market feature LED technology and a set of LED flares can cost a couple hundred dollars. But traditional flares are still available at around $12 for a pack of six.
  • Flashlight with Batteries: You can go high tech with your flashlight choice if your student is into having the latest gadgets. But as long as the flashlight works and has batteries, it will be useful. If the recipient really doesn't care about the latest and greatest in tech, you can just go with an appealing color.
  • Blankets and Extra Clothes: Unless this student is your son or daughter, you may not want to provide a complete outfit. However, you can toss in a t-shirt featuring their school's mascot or logo and a coordinating blanket.

  • Non-Perishable Snacks and Bottled Water: You should find out whether or not the person you have in mind has any food allergies before deciding on which snacks to include. For example, if your student is gluten-sensitive, wheat crackers won't be the best option.
  • First-Aid Kit: You can create one of these, including all of the necessary items, or you can pick up a really nice pre-assembled one for about $25 or less.
  • Portable USB Charger: This incredibly handy device will keep a cell phone charged even if the car isn't running. It can be pretty scary to be caught in an auto-related emergency and discover that your cell phone is dead.
  • Winter Driving Essentials: These should include an ice scraper, snow brush, and a small shovel. Even if the student goes to college in an area that typically has mild winters, you never know when that random snow or ice storm will hit.

Once you have assembled the roadside emergency kit to give to your college student, you may decide that you want to add a little something extra. Great add-on gifts might include a gas station gift card, a road map of the area where they will be or oil-change vouchers for a local service center.

Auto Financing Opportunities to Keep You Safe

Speaking of staying safe on the road, if your current vehicle isn't as reliable as it once was, it may be time to replace it with a newer, more dependable model. If you know this is true, but you have credit issues that you think might get in the way of financing approval, Drivers Lane can help.

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Our process is fast and our service is absolutely free. So, go ahead and fill out our simple and secure online application to get started today. You won't be placed under any obligation to buy, but you will get a fair chance at getting an auto loan and a vehicle that you'll feel good about driving.