Many will say that the contents of the trunk of your car are purely personal matter. This is partly the case. But a certain set of tools and accessories can be useful to anyone who sets off on a journey, even if it is short and short-lived. Their list was formed based on many years of experience of drivers who got into a wide variety of situations.
What is required to carry in the car according to the law?
Every law-abiding driver should be aware of the list of items that must always be in the trunk in case of emergencies – as required by the Traffic Regulations. For the absence of any of them, a traffic police officer can issue a fine. However, there is nothing difficult in complying with the requirements of the law – there are only four items on this list.
Automotive first aid kit. Perhaps the most important and most useful compulsory subject. Unfortunately, many pay attention to the presence and condition of the first aid kit only when there is an urgent need to use it. Or before a technical inspection, where its contents are checked without fail.
The law not only requires a first aid kit but also strictly defines the list of what should be in it. And each of its components must be usable (not expired). On the other hand, no one prohibits and supplementing the mandatory list at their discretion – the main thing is that there are no drugs in the first-aid kit that are prohibited in the Russian Federation. And it is also necessary to use any medicine on other people with an eye to the legislation. We wrote about all this in detail in a separate article.
Fire extinguisher. This is also not just an item that must be presented during the inspection or to the inspector to avoid a fine. A fire extinguisher can save not only property but also someone’s life, perhaps even your own.
It is important to understand how a fire extinguisher works and to regularly check its expiration date. And also, a fire extinguishing agent must meet certain requirements:
for a car, the minimum volume of a fire extinguisher is 2 liters, for trucks – 5 liters;
it is permissible to use only 2 types of fire extinguishers – powder or carbon dioxide;
the fire extinguisher must have a metal body and a spray bell;
powder models must be equipped with a pressure gauge showing the pressure of the filler;
the check of the fire extinguisher must have a whole seal;
When sold, the fire extinguisher must be accompanied by a passport with the date of manufacture and expiration date.
Warning triangle. This item will not take up much space in the trunk, although its role in preserving people’s health is great: it has repeatedly saved the lives of those who made a forced stop on the road. And the “non-freeze” canister, exposed on the road, will not be an adequate replacement for it.
For a triangular warning triangle, there is a regulation that determines the size and design. Thus, the length of each side of the triangle should be 50–55 cm. On the outside, the sign should have stripes of reflective material, each of which is at least 5 cm wide.
It is imperative to have special support that will allow you to install and fix the warning triangle sign on any level surface. We, in turn, advise you not to save money and buy the most massive, stable, and strong version – this will not be blown away by a wave of air from the first truck that passes by.
Reflective vest. In March 2020, another amendment to the traffic rules introduced a norm according to which drivers, leaving the car, are required to wear a jacket or vest with inserts of reflective material. This should be done on roads outside of settlements in the dark – at night and dusk. And also in conditions of limited visibility. In some European countries, the use of a vest is mandatory regardless of weather conditions.
A special GOST 12.4.281-2014 has been adopted, in which strict frameworks are indicated regarding the location and shape of the reflective stripes on the vest. For example, the width of the strip should not be less than 5 cm, and the two main lines must be horizontal and parallel to each other.
Unlike other items on this list, even motorcyclists should have a vest. On the other hand, this is the only mandatory accessory for the absence of which a fine is not yet issued.