When it comes to your van you should have the attitude of a boy scout and always be prepared. There are a number of essentials that you should always have in your van in case of emergency.

PHONE CHARGER

In an emergency, the first thing you normally do is call someone for help or search the internet for helpful videos or articles. Most modern vehicles come with a USB port so that you can use the van’s battery to charge your phone’s battery. Of course, this is only helpful if the van is still running and the problem isn’t a dead van battery. Therefore, it’s also important to keep a fully charged external power bank in the glovebox.

JUMP LEADS

A van with a dead battery is useless; it’s not moving anywhere unless it gets towed. However, if you’ve got a set of jump leads in the back you should be able to get it started (with the help of another vehicle) so that you can drive it to a garage and get a new battery fitted.

TORCH

You never know where you might get stranded and sod’s law suggests that it wouldn’t be in a well-lit area with lots of people around. Although smartphones do come with a built-in torch, using it will drain the phone’s battery which would be more useful elsewhere. Instead, you should always travel with a torch, preferably one that is quite sizeable with a powerful beam, and spare batteries in case they run out.

TYRE REPLACEMENT TOOLS / PUNCTURE REPAIR KIT

A flat tyre can occur at any time even if you look after them properly. The quickest way to get back on the road after a flat tyre is to replace it yourself which requires you to carry a jack, a lug wrench and a usable spare tyre. However, some modern vans don’t come with a spare and you have to make do with a patch job using tyre sealant and a foot pump until you can get to the nearest garage.

MULTI-TOOL

Depending on your business, you might have a van full of tools that you can use for any situation; however, if you’re a courier, or involved in a similar profession that doesn’t need a toolbox, having a small multi-tool could be very useful. They’re light, portable and perform a variety of functions. Typically, they come with a knife, pliers, wire cutters and screwdriver among other things. The most common is the classic Swiss army knife, but they come in all shapes and sizes.

DUCT TAPE

Sometimes you just need to perform a patch job until you can get to a garage. Duct tape is sturdy and durable and can be used to help with all manner of minor problems.

BLANKET / BIG COAT

Vehicles are more likely to break down in colder weather, so it’s always useful to have a thick blanket stowed away somewhere to help keep you warm during chilly waits by the side of the road.

We all have spare coats lying around somewhere indoors, so you might as well dig it out and keep one in your van to provide another extra layer if you’re stranded in the cold.

FIRST AID KIT

Hopefully you’ll never have to use it, but having a first aid kit can certainly come in handy, even if you don’t get injured during an accident, you could still cut yourself changing a tyre. Make sure to keep it fully stocked with antiseptic, plasters, bandages, cotton balls, painkillers and microporous tape.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER

A vehicle fire is extremely dangerous, but if you can catch it in the early stages you can potentially save your van and certainly make your wait at the roadside much safer. Van drivers should go for a 2kg ABC dry powder model.