Can you bugout from your vehicle and escape being trapped on the highway?

(Bugout.news) Generally speaking we associate our vast highway system with freedom of movement because they were designed from the outset to facilitate rapid and efficient travel from one place to another. In emergencies, they can also serve as escape routes.

However in other situations freeways can turn into traps – even death traps. They can become irreparably clogged in weather events such as hurricanes, when too many people try to leave a large city at one time, and they can also become impassable due to major accidents and inclement weather.

Other less likely scenarios that could leave motorists stranded on our nation’s freeways, but which should not be dismissed, might include EMPs or terrorist attacks.

In fact, a terrorists attacking on a freeway may not be as far-fetched as it might sound. When police and federal authorities began investigating Syed Rizwan Farook, the terrorist behind the recent San Bernardino mass shooting incident, they discovered that he and his friend, Enrique Marquez, had at one point been planning an attack on the crowded 91 Freeway in Los Angeles.

So, what you must understand is that anytime you enter a freeway, there is always the possibility something might occur that could leave you stranded – for hours or even days – so it’s crucial to keep a well-stocked bug out bag or preparedness kit in your vehicle at all times.

How long could you survive if your vehicle became stranded?

Suppose you were stuck in a winter storm for more than 24 hours (and in parts of the U.S., that can certainly happen). You’ve run out of gas trying to keep warm, and you didn’t bring along any food or water, so now what do you do? Get out and start walking? Are you prepared for that?

To be sure, the situation could become desperate in a relatively short amount of time.

To be on the safe side, you should have a bag you can carry – preferably a backpack – that contains everything you need to survive for at least 72 hours.

The obvious essentials to include, of course, are food and water. You should also pack some basic survival gear and fire-making materials. Everyone’s individual bug out bag should be customized to fit the climate and conditions of the area they live in.

Consideration should be given to how much weight is practical for an individual to carry. If you’re out of shape or an elderly person, for example, you don’t want a bug out bag that you can’t carry for more than a short distance. Depending on the situation, you may need to walk several miles to safety.

As points out: “You can’t bug out if you can’t carry your bug out bag.”

Aside from incidents that might cause you to find yourself trapped on a freeway, it’s a good idea to keep a bug out bag in your vehicle anyway, in case an emergency situation arises while you’re away from home, or if the SHTF in such a manner that you don’t have time to grab your home bug out bag.

Vehicle bugout bag essentials

Here’s a short list of essential items every vehicle bug out bag should contain:

Three-day supply of water
Three-day supply of non-perishable food
Portable water purifier
Survival blanket
Survival tools (knife, multi-tool, fold-up shovel)
Rope or para-cord
First aid kit
Flashlight
Flares
Duct tape
Extra clothing

The above list is not necessarily all-inclusive; it’s just a list of some items that could prove to be essential to survival. As I mentioned earlier, consideration should be given to the region in which you live and how much you can reasonably carry.

How much survival equipment you carry in your vehicle will also be dependent on how much available space you have and how much of it you are willing to dedicate to being prepared for various emergency scenarios.

That being said, it’s better to have more than you need on hand – you can always leave some of your supplies behind if you feel like you have more than you can carry to reach safety.

Reporting by Daniel Barker, NaturalNews.com.

Bugout.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out ALL our daily headlines here.