To say that it's been a really rough year is an understatement- especially since it's only March. Now we've got COVID-19, a brand new pandemic that has shook the world. Although plenty of different areas are on lockdown, every one of us needs to be on alert. You never know what can happen, and it’s best to be prepared at all times.
And of course, one of the most important things to prepare is your vehicle; you never know when you’ll need to leave your current location and get going somewhere else safer. With the coronavirus practically everywhere these days,
While the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee recommends that we contain the virus domestically and err on the side of caution these days when it comes to travelling, you can keep it safe travelling in your car and keeping contact to others at a minimum.
If you need to be with family in the coming days, or you’re looking to relocate somewhere a bit more remote than where you are right now, read up on this guide on how you can keep your vehicle in top shape, and prepared for any situation.
Any kind of vehicle has enough storage space to pack the following:
Pack accordingly, and bring enough so that you have a little bit more extra for when you arrive at your destination. A single first aid kit with all the necessaries such as bandages, disinfectant and Should there be any new developments, make sure that you follow any advisories from the government- these pointers are for your safety, after all.
If you’re bringing children along, don’t forget to bring some form of entertainment especially if you’re in for a long drive; it can get quite boring for them and you certainly don’t want any distraction as a driver.
It goes without saying that before travelling, you should spend a few hours checking up on your vehicle’s overall health. It doesn’t hurt to check your tyre’s status too, and here’s what you’ll need:
An OBD2 will let you know exactly what's wrong with your vehicle- it's not a bad idea to get one now, start scanning, and if any codes are generated, do take your vehicle to your local mechanic as soon as possible so it can get fixed before you evacuate to a more secure and isolated location.
And your vehicle's tyres are important, too- even if your car's fine and if your tyres are busted, then you're not going anywhere. Make sure to keep a spare, and better yet, have a TPMS installed so that you're up to date on your tyre's inflation levels (and should you need to have it re-inflated soon!)
Get your TPMS & OBD2 here: TPMS/Tyre Pressure Monitoring System | OBD2 Diagnostic Tool
It's important to stay prepared at all times these days, and these two items should help keep you ready to leave and relocate anytime should the need to do so ever arise.
These diagnostic tools also come equipped with a GPS tracker; should you need to leave your vehicle temporarily and have it parked somewhere, this will be incredibly helpful if you're a bit forgetful.
In the middle of a long drive, you certainly don't want your car running out of juice for some reason; not onltoy is it a big hassle, but if you're caught somewhere remote, or worse, if you're caught in an area where there's been an infection, it can be dangerous.
Besides your car's internal workings and your tyres, you'll need to keep your car's battery in good condition. Should anything happen, make sure bring along a car battery charger & jump starter.
Should your vehicle's battery ever run out of power, you'll be fine if you have this in your vehicle. Not to mention, this car battery charger isn't only able to act as a jumpstarter for cars, but it can also act as a powerful powerbank for different devices in your vehicle.
If you're travelling in a bigger vehicle, such as a truck or a caravan trailer, then you'll definitely need a power inverter. All our inverters here at Elinz are pure sine wave inverters as well. This keeps any appliances that you might bring along on your trip powered using your car's battery, such as laptops, phones, and even smaller appliances.
Do keep these items in mind if you're planning to relocate for the mean time to stay safe and stay mobile.
Despite us having provided these items and tips to keep your vehicle in top condition, remember that nothing beats this virus better than just general hygiene and isolating yourself from the rest of the world in the mean time.
Remember to clean up and wash your hands as often as possible, and make sure to do it thoroughly. For those that will be travelling, make sure to pack alcohol that's at least 70% proof and cleanse everything that you'll touch inside and out of your vehicle.
And while a little contradictory to this entire guide- don't travel if you really don't need to, even if you're simply going on a long drive to be somewhere else. If your're safe and secure at home, stay there and isolate yourself from crowds. Err on the safe side, and stay indoors away from people for now.
Good luck, and we hope for the best for all of us, from all of us here at Elinz.
