Home » What Should You Keep in Your Glove Box?

There are several items which you ought to keep safe and to hand when you are driving, and while they may not all reside or in the glove box they are necessary and in some cases, a legal requirement.

Insurance Documents & Registration/Title

The law in Virginia requires you insure your motor vehicle to the minimum following levels of coverage:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person;
- $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two people; and
- $20,000 property damage.

If you register your motor vehicle in the Commonwealth of Virginia and it does not have this level of coverage you face a $500 fine, suspension of your driving license and the cancellation of the registration of all of your Virginia registered vehicles. You will also face higher insurance premiums as a consequence as well.

The insurance policy must be insured by a company licensed and authorized to do business in Virginia and you must inform the VA Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as soon as you insure or cancel insurance on a vehicle.

Also note that you must carry liability insurance on the vehicle even if it is not being used – if the vehicle is registered it must be insured.

You will probably be asked to produce these documents if you are stopped by law enforcement, and will certainly be required to produce them in the event of an accident.

Emissions Inspection Certificate

Virginia operates an emissions inspection regime and you are required to have your vehicle tested once every two years. The inspection facility will update the DMV records to reflect the test and results, however you also should keep the certificate with you in case you are required to produce it to a law enforcement or emissions code enforcement official.

The test should not cost more than $28 while for those vehicles being moved to Virginia from out-of-state, there are exemptions to the requirement for a Virginia emissions test depending on whether one has already been conducted within the last year which is applicable for many states (check with DMV to see if you are required to get the emissions test performed).

Motorists Assistance Information

If you have breakdown or roadside assistance cover then you should make sure you keep your membership information readily available with the vehicle. Keep your AAA or other membership information to hand as well as any information which shows you how to contact them for roadside assistance, including telephone numbers.

Cell Phones

It is against the law to use a cell phone while driving in the Commonwealth of Virginia. There are stiff fines and penalties for those who violate the law in this regard, and cell phone users should also note that the law applies to reading and sending text messages. Texting is thought to be the cause of more road traffic accidents than drink driving and the authorities in Virginia are getting very tough on cell phone use.
Avoid being distracted while driving and put your cell phone away so it is out of sight and out of mind.

Personal Effects

There are some things you should keep on hand for use while driving such as tissues and wet wipes, but also things such as a small flashlight for use in emergencies. It will also help if you have the vehicle manufacturer's manual readily available should you break down on the road as this may guide you through trouble shooting your problem and get you back on the road faster.

Mark Fjord is a freelance writer. If you've been injured through no fault of your own, you may need to consult a personal injury attorney or if you've been injured by a large truck, a tractor trailer accident lawyer.