Father's Day Gift Ideas - Car Safety Kit

It seems Dads are always protecting their children and keeping them safe. Father's Day is the perfect opportunity to show him you and the kids want to keep him safe as well. Put together a car safety kit. Most of the items can be found in the hardware store and grocery store. Don't feel you have to buy new, if you already have a fleece blanket for example, use it.

Most of us don't even think about what we would do if we're in a car accident, the car breaks down and we're far from town, or we suffer a minor injury.

If you live where it freezes often in the winter a collapsible shovel is great for digging out of snow or mud. Add a box or bag of ice cream salt to melt the ice for better traction under the tires. A fleece blanket to keep the cold out is a good addition.

A gallon of water can be used for lots of things besides drinking. Of course in hot weather dehydration can strike quickly and a gallon of water can be critical. Add a baseball cap or floppy hat to keep the sun off in case Dad decides to walk for help. Throw in a couple of packages of granola or energy bars as well.

A basic first aid kit can consist of hydrogen peroxide for cleaning cuts, old clean washcloths, gauze, and first aid tape. Add hand sanitizer, petroleum jelly, and a squirt bottle. The squirt bottle can be filled with water and used to clean out a wound without wasting a lot of water. There are also cold packs and heat packs that could come in handy. A box of assorted band aids, a couple of packages of aspirin or other pain reliever rounds out the first aid kit.

Add a flashlight, can of flat tire repair, and flashing lights to put to on the road to indicate there is a problem.

This may sound silly but in an accident or other stressful situations we often forget important facts. Have you ever been on the phone and someone asks you for your address and just for a moment you can't remember it? Write down your home address, home telephone or cell phone, and your work phone number on a piece of cardboard and include it in the kit.

The last step is to find a plastic container with a tight fitting lid to store the items in the car safety kit in the trunk of the car. Of course the gallon of water won't be going in the container but everything else should fit. Dad will appreciate his car safety kit.

Dee Power is the co-author of the novel, Over Time. Money Love and Football: All the Important Things in Life. Over Time makes a great Father's Day Gift. Find other Dad's day ideas at Party Ideas Kids