Essential Safety Gear For Your Vehicle

Securing the gear you keep in your vehicle and enabling your safety is one of the main reasons why BuiltRight Industries exists. Unsuspecting items can become ridiculously dangerous when you encounter unexpected movement, like in a car crash or a mishap off-road. Needing to keep devices like a phone, dashcam or GPS securely mounted in-view, hands-free, but within reach in case of emergency is also a huge part of our mission to keep safety a top priority. Locking down essentials exactly where you need them is a must when it comes to maintaining a safety mentality while operating your vehicle.

Of course it's not only about how you secure your gear, but exactly what gear you decide is most important to keep with you (and how you drive). Essentials will vary for everyone based on the who's in the car and the season, and with that being said we fully expect to have missed something in our lists that may be your top priority - if so, please let us know down in the comments below!

Explore our 24 Essential Items to Keep in Your Daily here, and check out our video on Winter Driving Essentials here (if reading is more your thing, click here to read about our Winter Essentials). From these lists there are definitely a few non-negotiables for us that we think should be secured in every vehicle. While I personally wouldn't make a stink if one of these items was forgotten on a short drive, I certainly would not embark on a roadtrip in a vehicle that doesn't have them secured and ready at a moment's notice...

1) First Aid Kit

We love seeing a First Aid pouch secured to our Universal MOLLE Tech Panels, this is a versatile solution for almost every vehicle on the road. If your car, SUV, truck, van, boat or truck cap has a loop material that Velcro will hook onto, our Universal Tech Panels, locking carabiners and elastic MOLLE clips will organize your daily essentials like First Aid kits, flashlights, light tools, flares, an emergency blanket, ductape, you get the idea. We sell a 6 piece bundle of these panels here!

On the other hand if you drive a vehicle we make a Seat Back MOLLE Tech Plate Kit for, they are perfect for securing everything from First Aid kits to fire extinguishers and your heftier equipment, no matter where you're driving and how hard you drive. Our kits don't impact your seat's adjustability or comfort, they are straightforward to install and meticulously engineered modular storage exoskeletons for the back of your front seats. We make them for your Raptor/F-150, Super Duty, Ranger, Bronco, Tacoma, RAM, Silverado or Sierra.

2) Fire Extinguisher

I try to always keep a fire extinguisher in the cabin of my vehicles. I find that I've always had at least a 2.5lb bottle with me, but keeping something like an Element Extinguisher in an Original Quickfist Riser Mount on our panels is a small and effective solution (check out the Bronco Cargo MOLLE image below). For securing larger extinguishers or tanks, our Bedside MOLLE Panels and Super Clamp Riser Mounts or Long Arm Riser Mounts are perfect. Interestingly enough, I have encountered more than a couple situations where I've needed to pull over and quickly access a fire suppression system. Whether you're needing to douse a small blaze with a water bottle, or needing to empty an extinguisher into something that's fully engulfed, having proper ways to secure these items is essential.

3) Dash Mount + Mountech Phone Holder 

We can all agree that using a device while driving is distracting, but when that device happens to be your navigation and emergency response system, it's imperative to keep it secured hands-free, in-view and within-reach. This is exactly why we developed our Dash Mounts and Mountech's insanely over-engineered phone/device holders. You won't find a more rugged and durable solution for mounting your heads-up essentials. Look no further for securing your phones, tablets, GPS, radios, dashcams, or radar detectors.

4) Jumper Cables

We all know why jumper cables or a jump pack are essential items to have in a vehicle, but most importantly it's essential that you know how to use them. And if you're the .1% of our blog readers who daily an EV, I'm sure you've figured out a solution for when you run out of battery, or maybe you just suffer from crippling range anxiety on those lengthier trips... whatever you drive, just make sure you've got a way to get it going again. Or at least have a way to call for help! We often see customers attaching these to Bedside Racks or a BAR (Bulkhead Accessory Rail) System and Universal Rigid MOLLE Tech Plates.

No matter how prepared you might be for a specific situation, sometimes you simply will not be ready when it happens. As they say, "Sh*t Happens" ... freak accidents do occur. You can only prepare to the best of your ability, so drive with caution and be extra vigilant about operating your vehicle around others. Always pay attention to the road, don't get complacent on your commute, leave the phone alone while you're moving and get there alive... multitasking behind the wheel is never worth it. Keep your head on a swivel, keep essential gear with you, make sure it's secured properly and drive safely.