Broken-down car in the desert: stay with the car

The NPS in desert parks such as Death Valley says the same: it is almost always better to stay with the vehicle. A car can be seen from the air long before a person, it gives shade, it holds your water and belongings, and it is where rescuers start looking. People who set out walking in the heat are the ones who usually die.

1. Pull the car over safely and turn on the hazard lights. Try to call or text 911 with your location. If there is no signal, climb to a nearby high point to try and then come back.
2. Make yourself visible: open the hood (the universal sign of a broken-down car), hang a colorful cloth from the antenna, and mark a large X on the ground with rocks or branches so it can be seen from the air. Have a mirror or the rearview mirror ready to reflect the sun toward distant aircraft or vehicles (chapter 8).
3. Make shade outside the car: a tarp or floor mats from the roof to the ground, on the shady side. Sit off the ground.
4. Manage your water as explained above: drink what you need and do not move during the hot hours.
5. Leave a note on the dashboard with the date, time, the problem, how many people there are, and which way you went if someone sets out to find help.
6. If you truly have to walk (nobody knows where you are, you know for certain where help is and it is a reasonable distance away): do it at night or during cool hours, along the road, with as much water as possible, clothing that covers you, and something to signal with. Never leave the road.

Desert car kit

• Water: at least 1 gallon (3.8 L) per person per day, plus a reserve of 5 gallons (19 L) for emergencies and for the radiator.
• Spare tire in good condition, a tire repair kit, and a compressor or pump.
• Tools for changing tires, extra coolant, and spare belts and hoses if the car is old.
• Small shovel for sand.
• Tarp or cloth for shade, rope, and duct tape.
• Non-perishable food and a first-aid kit (chapter 2).
• Clothing for walking: boots, long pants, long sleeves, a hat; and a coat for the night.
• Paper map of the area. Note the mileage at each junction so you know how far you would have to walk back.
• Signal mirror, whistle, flashlight. A satellite communicator or personal locator beacon (PLB) if you travel on dirt roads.