5 great back-to-school automotive deals to help ease the stress of campus driving

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If you’re a parent, you’re no doubt familiar with the strange sensation of sending your kids off to college. It’s exciting, sure, but also probably a little nerve-wracking. Although it’s time to let them leave the nest, there are still plenty of ways you can set them up for success and ease your mind all at once. That’s why it’s important that if they’ll be taking a car with them to campus that they have everything they’ll need in case of an emergency. After all, cars inevitably break down and accidents happen, but these rites of passage don’t have to be so scary for you or your child if you know they’re well equipped to deal with any situation. That’s why we’ve pulled together this list of 5 great auto accessories every new college student should keep in their trunk, all at a discount.

Key Features

Delivers 1,500 Peak Amps
Jump Starts cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles and boats with up to 7L gas and 5.5L diesel engines
Made for use in temperatures from -4°F to 140°F
Features 8 safety protection systems
Includes USB 3.0 and USB-C connection ports
Built-in flashlight, strobe and SOS light modes are available

One of the most annoying things to deal with on the road is a dead battery. Especially because more often than not, it’s simply a product of driver carelessness like leaving your dome light or headlights on overnight. Luckily, although it’s annoying, it’s also one of the easiest things to remedy with a portable jump starter.

This AVAPOW unit can jump start cars, SUVs, and even boats with up to 7.0-liter gas or 5.5-liter diesel engines. It also promises to work in fairly extreme temperatures, claiming to be able to jump vehicles in -4°F all the way up to 140°F. It features reverse polarity protection, over-current protection, high-temperature protection, over-load protection and more. If you need to charge a USB device or two, don’t worry, it has built-in USB 3.0 and USB-C outputs. Like some others, it also features a built-in emergency flashlight with an SOS mode and this one also comes with a bonus USB charging cable.

Key Features

1080p HD, 170° ultra-wide capture
Features Wide Dynamic Range technology and night vision shooting 
Includes 24-hour parking monitoring – thanks to a built-in G-sensor, the Byakov can automatically turn on and start recording if your car gets hit in a parking lot 
Loop Recording can automatically overwrite old footage, saving the user from having to manually delete videos on their SD card
Emergency Accident Lock saves/locks the current video whenever a shake or collision is detected, so it won’t get over-written
Includes a 2-year replacement warranty
SD card not included

No one wants to think about themselves (or their kid) getting into an accident, but they happen all the time just the same. While there’s nothing you can do to protect against an unexpected accident, you can offer some amount of protection against liability. One of the best ways to do that is to have a video record of the incident, that’s where dash cams come into play. 

The Byakov dash cam records videos in 1080p resolution and features night vision and WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) technology. Like most others, this cam has a G-sensor and automatically starts recording if your car is hit, even in a parking lot. It also has a 170° wide viewing area, a small form-factor, and loop recording. Users say the picture quality is “much higher” than expected for such an affordable cam. Last but not least, the cam comes with a two-year product replacement warranty. Like the sound of the Byakov? Check it out right here.

Key features

Plugs into your car outlet
11.9-foot power cord
Automatically turns off once the pre-set pressure has been achieved
Includes built-in LED lighting
Includes three additional nozzles for sports balls, air mattresses, bike tires and more
“Not applicable for any large vehicles with tire pressure ＞ 50 psi and tire width ＞ 245 MM such as trucks, vans and off-road vehicles”

Keeping your tires properly inflated is easy to do, but it’s also easy to ignore. You can always hit up the air compressor at the gas station, but you can make the process even one step easier by keeping a portable air compressor in your trunk.

The VacLife tire inflator plugs into your car’s 12V power outlet with an 11.9-foot power cord to get its juice. It has automatic shut off capability, allowing it to turn off once it hits your preset psi level, a built-in LED flashlight, and comes with 3 additional nozzles for inflatables like sports equipment, bike tires and more. This one is a great budget option, but won’t work for large vehicles with tire pressure greater than 50 psi or tire width greater than 245 mm like some trucks and off-road vehicles.

Key Features

Improved design features 110W suction power 
Weighs 2.4 lbs
Features a built-in LED light
Plugs into a 12V cigarette lighter port via 16ft long power cord
Includes 3 all-purpose nozzles, a carrying bag and an extra filter w/ cleaning brush

Although probably not as essential as the other items on this list, a clean car is certainly always better than a dirty one. A portable car vac like this one can make it much easier to achieve that goal.

The popular ThisWorx portable car vacuum is a solid choice for anyone looking to up their car cleanliness game. It features a 110W and 9.17 amp motor, a built-in LED light, a washable double-HEPA filter, a flat bottom, a 16-foot power cable that connects to your car’s 12V lighter port and includes 3 different all-purpose nozzles, a carrying bag for easy storage and a filter cleaning brush.

It’s always a good idea to have an emergency kit in your car. When you have a vehicle mishap, even in the best of conditions, a roadside emergency kit can help you improve your situation, and in less-than-ideal conditions a kit like this can be a lifesaver. Any safety kit is better than none, and the price will rise as you find kits that are more and more all-encompassing, but this STDY option strikes a great balance between cost and value, featuring dozens of pieces at just $39.99.

The kit includes a tow rope, one reflective safety vest, jumper cables, a safety hammer, a reflective warning triangle, one pair of gloves with gripping palm, a tire pressure gauge, an LED flash light, PVC tape, a raincoat, a screwdriver, an emergency blanket, 20 cable ties, and a separate but included first aid kit including 10 band-aids, one bandage, a whistle, plastic tweezers, one multi-function blade, non-woven surgical tape, a pair of scissors, 10 safety pins, a silver emergency blanket and 20 cotton swabs. This particular emergency kit also happens to be the second-best-selling automotive safety kit on Amazon right now.