A flashlight is a crucial emergency tool.
If you are in a dark place, you can use it to look for lost people or objects.
People who walk usually keep flashlights in their bags or pockets. If you own a car, you probably wonder whether or not to carry it.
So, Should You Keep a Flashlight in Your Car?
Yes – you should keep one in your car. However, we acknowledge that some people may find it redundant to carry one. After all, most smartphones have torches. However, don’t forget that smartphone’s battery can run out of power, and you will need a secondary source of light, which is where the flashlight comes in.
See Also: Should You Start a Road Trip at Night or In the Morning?
Five Reasons A Flashlight Should Be In Your Car
1. Find Anything in the Dark
All the interiors of cars are equipped with bulbs that can help you find items within your car.
The drawback of the bulbs is that they usually emit light at the center.
They are, therefore, not helpful when you need to locate a lost object under the car seats.
However, a flashlight helps you find objects in hidden areas of the car.
That is because you will be directing the flashlight, unlike car bulbs that you cannot direct.
The flashlight is not only used for looking for lost objects or unwanted “inhabitants”.
According to Boston, animals like mice and squirrels usually sneak into people’s cars in the dark.
If you drive with these animals on board, they could damage your seats by gnawing them.
2. Jump Start Your Car
There are a few reasons why your car’s battery is dead.
Since you may not have time to diagnose the exact reason for your car’s dead battery, it becomes necessary to jump-start it and sort the battery issue later.
Without a flashlight, you will be unable to jump-start it.
That is because you will not see the jumper wires clearly.
If you jump-start the car in the dark, you may end up connecting jumper wires incorrectly.
A mistake you may make is connecting the wires to the wrong terminal, which means you could fry your car’s onboard electric components.
See Also: Should You Keep a Flashlight in Your Car?
3. Use it for Self-Defense
Some people do not think of flashlights as objects to be used for self-defense, yet they are useful for that.
According to OMK, the best flashlight to use for self-defense would be the Response XR1 Flashlight.
The flashlight is 5.75 inches long, which means it is long enough for you to use it as a melee weapon.
Also, the flashlight is heavy enough since it weighs 151 grams. Its weight can be attributed to its aluminum design.
Its weight is enough to cause injury to your attacker when you strike them.
Another reason the flashlight is suitable for self-defense is that it emits 1031 lumens of light. Once you flash it towards an assailant’s face, they will feel blinded.
While they are recovering from the ‘blindness,’ you can take off. Instead of running away, you could also search for objects on the ground to use as weapons against the attacker.
4. Change Your Tire
Changing flat tires is generally a tiresome task, physically or mentally.
The task will even be more difficult if you have to do it at night without a flashlight.
You could make some mistakes if you attempt to change a flat tire without one.
For instance, you could fail to tighten the lug nuts properly.
If the lug nuts are loose, the tire will not hold snugly against the hub and could come off.
It is even more challenging when you lose some lug nuts since it means you have to grope for them in the dark.
5. Keep Others Safe from Potential Accidents
If your car breaks down or gets into an accident, it is only proper to alert other motorists.
Some people alert motorists about incoming danger by throwing flares on the road.
What if you or other motorists don’t have any flares?
If you had a flashlight in the car, you could use it in place of flares.
Another way you can help motorists in case you are involved in a road accident is by removing debris from the road.
The debris will usually be shards of glass from your windows or headlights.
With a flashlight, you will see clearly to remove all debris to prevent accidents like flat tires when other cars drive over them.
Three Things to Look For When Buying a Flashlight
Up to this point, you must have seen the importance of having a flashlight. Before you rush to get one, there are some things to consider.
1. Battery Type
First, consider the battery type you need.
There are flashlight batteries that are rechargeable and non-rechargeable.
Some flashlights are built to accommodate particular batteries, but these days, many flashlights can accommodate both batteries.
A non-rechargeable battery is best for people who do short errands and desire pocket-friendly ones.
On the other hand, rechargeable batteries are for people who frequently use them for work or venturing outdoors.
2. Durability
Next, you should consider durability (waterproof, impact-resistant).
Such a flashlight will be ideal for firefighters or construction workers since they cannot afford to have flashlights that get easily ruined.
An example of a durable flashlight is the Nitecore Explorer EC4S Searchlight.
However, if you do not do heavy-duty tasks, you can consider a non-durable brand like the Pelican MityLite 1900 Flashlight.
3. Lumens
Lastly, you should consider the amount of lumens.
You can get one with 180 lumens or 1,000 lumens.
The former is ideal for people who desire a budget-friendly flashlight or those who do not use it frequently.
On the other hand, the one with 1,000 lumens is ideal for people keen on self-defense or those who engage in professions like firefighting.
The best brand for 180 lumens would be the Underwater Kinetics C8 Xenon, while the best for 1,000 lumens would be the Nite Ize XPB-01-R7 INOVA XP Professional Grade LED Pen Light.
Conclusion
If you are unsure or reluctant to keep a flashlight in your car, hopefully, you have understood its importance.
Not only can you use it to help yourself, but also others.
Luckily, the car is an ideal place to store it after running out of room to place it.
Also, it cannot get stolen if locked in the car.