Road Trip Must-Haves

       Travel Goods For Today:
         Safety on The Road Trip
                By: Kathy Witt
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This fall get road trip-ready for following the turning leaves with several new travel goods that enhance personal and vehicle safety. 

  Ultimate Dash Cam Turns Vehicle Into                  Smart Car

Think of Owlcam 4G LTE ($349 plus one free year of LTE data) as security that goes where you go. The ultimate dash cam, it provides real-time video protection for people, cars and trucks – and can be installed in about five minutes.

As you drive along, Owlcam records everything happening inside the car and out, sending the images to video history where it remains available for about 14 days – and that can include images of road trip fun. Among its many intelligent features, Owlcam lets drivers voice-tag specific image clips, very handy if, say, another driver cuts you off. Simply vocalize what is happening and Owlcam records it and sends the clip to your phone.

Other features: swipe down on the touch screen to turn off the inside camera; tap the screen to display settings, including brightness, volume and the “tag to create clip” option. Put Owl in guard mode when you park. If anyone tries to break in, a security beacon goes off and floodlights go on. If a would-be vandal enters your car, snap! – Owlcam records an image of this person’s face and immediately sends a notification to the driver’s phone.

In the case of a crash, a video clip is instantly sent to the driver’s phone, which can then immediately be shared with police on the scene – insurance companies, too. And Owlcam’s 911 Assist’s live operator calls Owlcam to see if the driver needs help and sends emergency services. Smart.

​ Heavy-Duty, Multi-Purpose Rescue Tool

Nobody wants to think about it, but everyone needs to be prepared should the unthinkable happen – that is, being in a sinking car or other dire situation that requires being extricated from a car. New York City paramedic Avi Goldstein, who founded a company to design and manufacture survival and rescue tools, has invented the T3 Tactical Auto Rescue Tool ($39.99), a device with a spring-loaded steel tip window punch and 440C stainless steel hook blade for seatbelt cutting.

Lightweight and compact, it includes an LED light with replaceable batteries and a stainless steel belt clip and heavy duty nylon belt sheath. The tool works by a steel point shooting out of the window punch to shatter the glass and then retracts automatically.

 
​    Real-life Roadside Emergency Kit

Here is a Roadside Emergency Safety Kit ($39.95) packed with 55 of the most useful and needed items for roadside emergencies. Assembled by Lauren Fix, a nationally recognized and trusted car expert, race car driver and ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified technician known as the Car Coach, the kit includes 10-gauge booster cable, 2-in-1 screwdriver, cable ties, cloth gloves, flashlight, D batteries, help sign, 24-inch tie-down, rain poncho, emergency document form and a 33-piece First Aid Kit, all packed in a bright orange bag that is compact and easy to store.

Fix also includes a Car Care Guide and FlareAlert, a battery operated electronic safety flare visible for miles from both the ground and air.

PHOTOS

Owlcam is the ultimate dash cam that gives you video when you need it most.

Photo: Owlcam

The T3 Tactical Auto Rescue Tool

Photo: StatGear

Lauren Fix’s new Roadside Emergency Safety Kit has what drivers need, plus a few extra bonus items too.

Photo: Lauren Fix