Prepping doesn’t always mean living without technology. It can also mean having your modern amenities ready for anything as well. One extremely common problem in the world is car accidents. And yet, far too many people don’t know what to do or what equipment you’ll need.
This time, I’m breaking down the three main signaling devices used to mark the area when an accident occurs: Strobes, Flares, and Triangles. I’ll touch on the pros and cons of each, and it’ll be up to you to decide which you’d rather stock in your vehicle.
Strobes
- Batteries, while chargeable, might be dead when needed.
- Many models offer inferior brightness.
- Susceptible to malfunctions.
- Require retrieval.
- Reusable.
- Not universally understood as an emergency signal.
- May not be waterproof.
Flares
- Brightness diminishes over time.
- Not easily seen in daytime.
- One time usage.
- Waterproof.
- Weak to cold weather conditions
- Recognized as an emergency signal.
- Not environmentally friendly.
- Relatively inexpensive.
- Easy to store and forget about.
Reflective triangles
- Do not emit light, merely reflects.
- Requires proper angling.
- Easily recognized in road-side problems.
- Not recognized as a signaling device.
- Somewhat fragile, and relatively expensive.
If the worst problem you expect to have it a flat tire or busted engine, then I’d recommend the reflective triangles. But when you consider the diverse use of flares outside of road trouble, I’d have to say that is my preferred item. The choice is yours, in the end.