Vehicle Hurricane Prep Checklist

As the 2024 hurricane season starts to kick into full gear, it’s important to know what to do to protect your vehicle. In the event of a powerful tropical storm or hurricane, there is much we can do in advance to ensure our cars are kept safe from water damage or flooding. 2024 is set to be a very active Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Forecasts show up to 17 to 25 named storms.

Here are some tips to follow and plans to make ahead of a storm hitting your city this year.

Fill the gas tank.

This is the first task that anyone should do. Unfortunately, this also means that gas stations become flooded with drivers for days ahead of a storm. City governments often put a freeze on gas prices to prevent companies from taking advantage of this, so all you need to worry about is filling up before the stations run out.

Making sure you’ve got plenty of gas to spare will be crucial if you end up evacuating. Hotels will be filling up fast, so making sure you have the fuel to drive a long distance will prevent you from having to sleep in your car.

Install new windshield wipers

If you’ll need to travel in rainfall from a storm, having fresh windshield wipers will become incredibly important. Other drivers are potentially going to be panicked and may be behaving unpredictably on the road. This means you’ll have to be very careful about both the road conditions and other drivers’ behavior. If you’re unable to get new wipers before the storm rolls through, you can manually refresh your wipers to a certain extent. All you need to do is wipe them down with a paper towel and window cleaner. This should add a few more months of life to your wipers.

Check Tire Pressure 

Hazardous road conditions increase the risk of getting a flat tire. If the hurricane has kicked up debris, it will be impossible to spot a nail in the road during the storm. Make your tires more resistant by topping off the tire pressure, including your spare tire.

Pack a Preparedness Kit

Keeping a go-bag ready in your vehicle is always a smart plan. This should include cash, non-perishable food, water bottles, spare clothes, and any other non-perishables needed if you end up stranded. This can always live in your car, so you won’t risk being unable to pack a bag if you’re house is inaccessible or you don’t have time during an evacuation.

Get a Portable Battery Jumpstarter

A mini jumpstarter can be essential in dangerous weather and everyday life, so this will be a valuable item to have on hand. If you’re evacuating a hurricane, you may end up stuck in deadlocked traffic or stranded away from anyone able to jump your car for you. As a bonus, these can also operate as device chargers for your electronics and other essentials. There are even units that can operate as an all-in-one emergency kit with functions like a flashlight built in.

Decide Where to Park in Town

If you don’t end up evacuating your city, you should probably find an elevated location to park your vehicle. It is risky to leave your car in an apartment parking lot or your driveway if those areas are prone to flooding. In cities like Charleston, the city government will typically open up public parking garages for free to allow locals to safely park their car away from flood-prone zones. These lots can fill up one or more days in advance, so make sure to secure your safe spot early.