The five items you should always have in your vehicle

The open road is calling, but before you turn the key, make sure your vehicle is ready for the journey.

A road trip through Southern Africa can begin with a full tank, good music and an optimistic sense of adventure. It can also involve a puncture 100 kilometres from the nearest town. A little preparation makes a considerable difference.

1. A properly inflated spare wheel

A spare tyre is useless if it is flat, damaged or buried beneath half your luggage. Check the pressure before leaving and make sure you have the correct wheel nuts and tools. If your vehicle carries a temporary spare, understand its limitations before you need it.

2. A jack and wheel-changing tools

Do not assume every vehicle has everything required to change a wheel. Check that the jack, wheel spanner and locking-wheel-nut adaptor are present. Practise using them at home. Changing a tyre for the first time beside a dark road is not ideal.

3. Drinking water

Carry more water than you expect to drink, particularly when travelling through remote parts of Botswana, Namibia or South Africa. Water is not merely a comfort item. It can become essential if a breakdown leaves you waiting for assistance in hot weather.

4. A first-aid kit

A basic first-aid kit belongs in every road-trip vehicle. Include plasters, bandages, antiseptic supplies and other basic items appropriate for your group. Check the contents before departure and replace anything that has expired or been used.

5. A way to summon help

A charged mobile phone is useful, but remote travel can place you beyond reliable cellular coverage. Consider a suitable emergency communication device if your route takes you deep into wilderness areas.

Keep roadside assistance and insurance numbers accessible too.

There are plenty of other useful items, including a torch, reflective warning equipment, jumper leads and a fire extinguisher. Yet these five essentials address some of the most basic problems a traveller can face.

Route matters, too. A drive from Johannesburg to Clarens is very different from crossing remote stretches of the Kalahari. Before leaving, check your tyres, oil, coolant, lights and windscreen. Make sure someone knows your route when travelling through isolated areas.