One of your preparedness plans must involve the possibility of bugging out of your home for a more secure location. The success of this kind of prep hinges on the effectiveness of your bug-out vehicle. Here are four factors you need to consider when preparing your get-out-of-Dodge plan.
Choose your bug-out vehicle carefully
The first step in equipping your vehicle and making it the most effective machine for a quick escape is to carefully choose the type of vehicle that would best suit your needs.
There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the right bug-out vehicle. It must be very fuel-efficient and have enough space for you and your family and all of your gears and supplies.
Other factors to consider include the vehicle's speed, the amount of noise it produces, its ability to go off-road and its ability to remain unnoticed by potential thieves and looters.
Upgrade your vehicle
Now that you have chosen your ideal bug-out vehicle, you will need to make some necessary upgrades.
Depending on the type of survival scenario you expect to face, you may spend a lot of time driving in less-than-ideal conditions. In a total collapse scenario, city streets and interstate highways will be filled with cars and will be more challenging to navigate.
With that in mind, you need to consider upgrading your vehicle's undercarriage. Swap out the stock suspension for something tougher and choose tires that would work for your unique situation.
Consider making upgrades to your engine. Standard engines are fine for the daily commute, making the weekly trip to and from the grocery and even for some long-distance journeys to visit relatives or go on a vacation. But the standard engine in your bug-out vehicle will not be able to handle most survival situations.
Keep up with maintenance
The best bug-out vehicle you can get is one that requires very little maintenance. But this still requires you to learn how to fix your car if it does break down.
Figure out the most likely ways your bug-out vehicle will break down. Once you've done this, acquire all of the parts you need and learn how to fix your vehicle.
Being low maintenance also means choosing a vehicle with limited electrics. Having few electric components makes your vehicle more likely to still function in the event of an electromagnetic pulse blast.
Be ready for anything
Ultimately, what your bug-out vehicle will need depends on your personal circumstances. If you plan to breeze through empty roads, consider upgrading your fuel capacity or providing more space for extra fuel canisters. If you will spend some time driving in a city, consider adding armor to protect your vehicle from the gunfire of looters who want your gear and supplies. (Related: Urban survival tips that can help you stay alive when you need to bug out.)
What's important is that the bug-out vehicle you have chosen and the upgrades you have made for it cater to your specific needs and will help you and your family be ready to deal with any disaster situation you may face.
More related articles:
Danger in the horizon: How to travel safely when SHTF.
Prepper projects: 5 ways to make an old car SHTF-ready.
5 Reasons why motorcycles are the best bug out vehicles.
Mobility or defense: Should you bug out or bug in when SHTF?
5 Must-haves for your bug-out vehicle.
Listen to this episode of "Prep With Mike" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks in detail about why people need to have bug-out bags in their vehicles.
This video can be found in the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.
Find more articles with tips about bugging out at BugOut.news.
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